Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease your baking dish with a bit of butter and set aside.
Place the chopped Medjool dates in a small bowl, cover with hot water, and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain well and mash slightly to break down the dates.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the dark brown sugar, stirring until the mixture is smooth and fragrant—about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Add the mashed dates to the caramel mixture and stir in the vanilla extract. Let this mixture cool for a few minutes so it doesn’t cook the eggs in the next step.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and dissolve the baking soda in a tablespoon of hot water, then pour into the eggs. Gradually add the cooled date caramel, whisking until smooth and combined.
Sift the flour into the wet mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula until just combined—be careful not to overmix to keep the pudding tender.
Pour the batter into your prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula for an even surface.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce: in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the dark brown sugar and cook, stirring, until it dissolves and the mixture is bubbling. Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until thickened and glossy. Remove from heat.
Once baked, let the pudding rest for 10 minutes to settle. Then, drizzle the warm toffee sauce generously over the slices before serving.
Serve warm in bowls, with extra sauce on the side if desired. The pudding should be gooey, sticky, and rich with deep caramel flavors.
