DATE AND NUT PUDDING IN A POT
240g (2 cups) cake flour
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground ginger
1 punnet fresh dates cut in halves and stones removed 15ml (1 tbsp) crushed nuts, not peanuts
A handful of maraschino cherries, chopped
40ml (2 heaped tbsp) butter
40ml (2 heaped tbsp) apricot jam
22.5ml (1 ½ tbsp) bicarbonate of soda
250ml (1 cup) fresh orange juice (or any other fruit juice) Syrup:
750ml (3 cups) of water
Pinch of ground cinnamon
375ml (1 ½ cups) of sugar
Sieve together the flour, salt and ginger. Add dates, nuts and cherries and mix through. Melt the butter and apricot jam in a small pan on the stove. Once melted, add bicarbonate of soda and mix through. The mixture will foam. Add the foam to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough. The dough should not be too runny, nor too dry. Use fruit juice to achieve the right consistency. Add water, cinnamon and sugar to a large pot or medium potjie pot and bring to the boil. Add spoonfuls of the dough to the boiling liquid and cover. Cook for 20 to 40 minutes until dark brown, taking care not to burn the mixture. Serve with fresh cream, custard or home-made ice cream.