bread pecan date INGREDIENTS METHOD 250g block dried, stoned date, chopped. 125g butter, at room temperature. 85g light muscovado sugar. 140g self-raising flour. 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda. 1 tsp ground mixed spice. 2 large eggs. 50g raisin. 50g chopped candied peel. 85g pecan, chopped. 2 pieces stem ginger, cut into thin shreds For the brandy syrup 85g light muscovado sugar. 150ml brandy. To serve 25g toasted pecan, chopped. 1 holly sprig. icing sugar, for dusting. Method STEP 1 Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Pour 300ml boiling water over the chopped dates and set aside. Butter a 1.4-litre pudding basin and put a disc of baking parchment in the base. Put the butter, sugar, flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and eggs into a large bowl, then beat with an electric hand whisk until really well blended. Add the cooled date mixture, then beat again to make a sloppy batter. STEP 2 Stir in the fruits, nuts and ginger, then pour into the pudding basin and place on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for 1 hr, cover the top lightly with foil, then return to the oven for 25 mins more until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out clean. STEP 3 Meanwhile, make the brandy syrup. Put the sugar and 50ml water in a pan and stir over the heat until syrupy. Stir in the brandy and remove from the heat. When the pudding is ready, remove from the oven and push a skewer into it in several places. Pour over the brandy syrup so it soaks into the pudding, then cover until ready to serve. STEP 4 Turn out onto a plate, scatter with the pecans and top with the holly sprig, dusted with icing sugar. Serve with good-quality vanilla ice cream.

pumpkin Baked pumpkin pudding Sort of pumpkin pie with little or no crust. Why waste space on crust when you can have more pumpkin? I use a spring-form pan, but the recipe uses ramekins. Just scale it up if you want to use a larger pan. The photo shows a thin graham crust - optional