BRANDY TART

Ingredients:

• 250 g (½ pound) dates
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) Bicarbonate of Soda
• 250 ml (1 cup) boiling water
• 125 ml (½ cup) butter or margarine
• 250 ml (1 cup) sugar
• 2 eggs
• 500 ml (2 cups) flour
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• 2.5 ml (½ teaspoon) salt
• 250 ml (1 cup) chopped pecan nuts
• Syrup (see "syrup" recipe)

Syrup:

• 312 ml (1¼ cup) sugar
• 12.5 ml (1 desert spoon) butter
• 187 ml (¾ cup) water
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla essence
• Pinch of salt
• 125 ml (½ cup) Brandy

Method:

Cut the dates into small pieces.
Add the Bicarb and boiling water to half of the dates in a mixing bowl, stir and let it cool.
Beat the butter and the sugar together well until it's creamy and then add the beaten eggs. Mix well.
Sieve the dry ingredients together en fold into the butter mixture.
Add the rest of the dry dates and nuts and after that, add the dates- and bicarb mixture. Mix well together.
Dish the mixture in a large ovenproof bake dish, or into two (2) tart/pie dishes with a diameter of 22 cm (9") each.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes in a medium oven at 180° C (350° F).
Pour the hot syrup over the tart when it comes out the oven.
Serve hot or cold with whipped cream.

Syrup:
Boil the first 3 ingredients together for 5 minutes while stirring.
Remove from heat en add the vanilla, salt and Brandy.
Stir well.