Vegan Sticky Date Pudding With Caramel Sauce

Preheat oven to 180°C and prepare a 20cm (8 inch) square baking pan with a light spray of cooking oil and baking paper.
Add dates, boiling water and bicarb soda in a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes until dates have softened.
If your coconut is solid, soften it in the microwave for 30 seconds before then adding it to a large bowl. Add in coconut blossom sugar and vanilla and whisk together.
Once the dates are soft, strain and save the water. Finely chop up dates using a food processor or bullet blender before adding to mixture.
To the sugar and coconut oil mixture, add sifted flour and the water from the dates. Using an electric hand held mixer, beat everything together until well combined.
Add in chopped dates and mix until smooth.
Pour mixture into a prepared baking tray and place in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

In a small saucepan on high, add coconut oil, coconut blossom sugar and coconut milk. Using a whisk, slowly stir until mixture comes to the boil.
Turn down heat and continue to stir for 15 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken and become a darker caramel colour. Add a pinch of salt to taste. The mixture will still be runny but will continue to thicken after you take it off the heat.
Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before generously drizzling the caramel sauce over the pudding.