Miso Caramel Loaf

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line a loaf tin (approx. 22 x 10cm) with baking paper. Ensure you have some baking paper hanging over the edges so the cake is easier to remove later.

In a medium bowl, place the chopped dates and cover with the boiling water. Add the bicarb soda and mix. Set aside for a few minutes so the mixture can cool a little, then purée either with a stick blender or in a food processor.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, miso and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.

Gently fold in the flour, then the puréed dates and milk.

Transfer to the prepared loaf tin, and bake about 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake is springy to the touch.

Once the loaf is out of the oven start making the caramel by placing the white sugar into a small saucepan. Stir in the water and cook over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar until it starts to bubble.

Then stop stirring (and don’t stir again or the caramel will crystallise), and leave to cook for a further couple of minutes or until the caramel has turned amber in colour. If the caramel isn’t cooking evenly, swirl the pan to encourage the caramel to colour evenly.

Reduce the heat to low, and add the cream. Carefully stir until the cream has combined with the caramel. Continue to stir and add the butter little by little so each piece has time to melt before the next is added.

Once all the butter has been added and is well combined, turn the heat off stir in the miso. Use a whisk if the miso is staying in little clumps and continue to whisk until it is well combined into the caramel.

Remove the cake from the tin using the overhanging baking paper, and place on a lipped serving plate. Pour most of the caramel over the cake.

Serve immediately so the cake is still warm, with any remaining caramel drizzled over each slice and a dollop of cream.