Grandma's Easy Date Loaf

I have acquired a whole 1kg of dates, so I thought I'd rummage through my recipe book.  I found Grandma's recipe that she was given and after making it, it was SO yum, I just HAD to share it!

Grandma's note:  "Recipe given to me in the early 50's - a good one!")

Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 30-35mins

Ingredients

1 cup dates - (cut each one for stones!)

3/4 to 1 cup sugar 

30g butter (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

1 cup boiling water

2 teapsoons baking soda

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 cups flour

Method

Oven 180degC.  Combine dates, sugar, butter, baking soda and boiling water in one bowl and let sit and melt butter. Mix to stir up.  In larger bowl sift flour, then add wet ingredients and add egg and vanilla essence.  Pour into paper lined loaf tin.  30-35mins or until skewer tests clean.

Try not to eat it all before it cools down!