Ingredients
225g/8oz brown bread, broken into small pieces
300ml/½ pint milk
125g/4oz dates, chopped
85g/3oz toasted walnuts, chopped
85g/3oz soft light brown sugar
125g/4oz softened butter or margarine
1 egg
11 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp demerara sugar
4 tbsp crème fraîche
2 tbsp golden syrup
icing sugar

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Soak the bread in the milk for approximately 30 minutes. Beat the bread mixture until smooth.
3. Add the dates, 55g/2oz of the walnuts, 55g/2oz of the brown sugar, 55g/2oz of the butter, the egg and mixed spice. Mix well and pour into a greased 18cm/7in square cake tin.
4. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake for 75 minutes.
5. To make the sauce, melt together the crème fraîche, remaining sugar, butter and walnuts and the golden syrup. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes, stirring until golden.
6. Cut bread pudding into six pieces. Dust with icing sugar and serve hot or cold with the sauce.