Anna Polyviou's Sticky Date & Banana Pudding

Pudding

• 190g dates, seeds removed
• 250ml water
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• 85g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g CSR Brown Sugar
• 2 very ripe medium bananas
• 2 eggs
• 170g White Wings Self-Raising Flour

Salted Caramel

• 160g CSR Brown Sugar
• 85g unsalted butter, chopped
• 225ml cream
• Pinch of sea salt flakes

Mascarpone Creme

• 200g mascarpone
• 200ml thickened cream
• 50g CSR Pure Icing Sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste

Caramelised Banana

• 1 banana
• CSR Caster Sugar, to sprinkle

1. Preheat the oven to 155°C fan-forced. Grease a 14cm x 21cm loaf tin and line base and long sides with baking paper.
2. Place the dates and water in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the bi-carb soda. Set aside to cool completely, then drain completely and finely chop the dates.
3. Using an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the bananas and beat until combined. In alternating batches, add the eggs and self-raising flour and beat until combined, then fold through the chopped dates.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
5. Meanwhile, make the salted caramel sauce. Place the brown sugar, butter and cream in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir through the salt. Set aside and keep warm until needed.
6. For the mascarpone crème, combine all ingredients and whisk to soft peaks. Spoon crème into a piping bag fitted with a St Honore nozzle and set aside.
7. When ready to serve, prepare the caramelised banana garnish. Halve banana lengthways and sprinkle with caster sugar. Using a kitchen blowtorch, toast the sugar until caramelised (alternatively, caramelise the banana and sugar in a frypan).
8. Turn pudding out of the loaf tin and place on a serving plate. Pipe mascarpone crème from side to side over the top of the pudding. Place caramelised banana on top of the crème, and drizzle over the warm salted caramel sauce.