Sticky date muffins

I'll admit, until a few years ago, dates made me think of old people... I don't know, something about dried up little pieces of fruit. As a kid, the only time I would see dates were at Christmas in dried fruit baskets that no one wanted to eat. Then a few years ago I was introduced to the wonderfulness that is STICKY DATE PUDDING! Not the pudding I grew up eating (like custard here in this part of the world,) but a soft, sort of dense cake, with a sticky caramel sauce over the top! Mmmm... I sort of played with the idea of creating a muffin version of this, one of my favourite deserts. I wasn't quite sure how this would turn out, but was pleasantly surprised how fast the dozen disappeared! I will definitely be making these again!

ENJOY!

Sticky date muffins

Ingredients:

• 250 grams (2 cups) pitted dates, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 80 grams (1/3 cup) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flour, sifted

caramel glaze

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/4 cup cream
• 80 grams (1/3 cup) butter
• 1/2 cup icing (powdered) sugar

Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F.) Place 12 large paper muffin liners in muffin tray. In a medium bowl, dissolve baking soda in boiling water then add chopped dates. Let sit until room temperature.

Mix butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in cinnamon, vanilla.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in butter/sugar mixture and dates.

Pour in to muffin liners and bake for 2o mins of until golden brown on top.

To make caramel glaze, put all ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer while stirring for 3 to 4 minuets. Drizzle over muffins and let cool.