The recipe I am going to share with you today is about 350 years old! A great favourite from the Cape where the first brandy from Cape grapes were distilled in 1672! We have come a very long way since then when it comes to the quality of our brandy, but still, Cape Brandy Pudding remains an old time favourite :) Growing up in South Africa is great fun with all the recipes your mother makes and teaches you during your younger years!

Ingredients:
250 g of dates (remove the pits), cut up
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water
cup butter/margarine
cup sugar
2 eggs, whisked
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts

Method:
1. Cut the dates, add the boiling water and bicarbonate of soda to halve of the dates, stir and let it cool down.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar and add the beaten eggs. Mix very well.
3. Sieve the dry ingredients together and add.
4. Add the rest of the dates and walnuts. Then add the dates in water and mix very well.
5. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and bake in a pre-heated oven of 180C for 30 - 40 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and pour the warm syrup over the warm pudding.

Syrup:
1 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
cup brandy

1. Boil together the sugar, butter and water for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla and brandy. Mix well.
3. Pour warm over the warm pudding and serve with cream or ice cream.

There is nothing nicer to warm you up on a cold day! Enjoy your dessert and make sure to try out some more traditional South African recipes!

Lizel Salter

My name is Lizel and I was born in South Africa. I am VERY proud to call myself South African. I love my country and want to describe to the world how I feel about the people, food and landscapes.

This is the main reason why I wrote my traditional South African recipe book. All the recipes are recipes I grew up with, that were passed on to me by my mother and from generation to generation.

In 2004 I married the man of my dreams, a great Englishman. We are living in England at the moment, trying to visit South Africa at least once a year. I started writing articles for this article site to share what I know best.

I hope that I am successful in sharing with you a piece of my heart, part of my soul. I love South Africa, and I want you to experience it in the same way I do!