Breakfast or dessert?

Today was one of those rare Sundays where I'm actually home in the morning (I usually work). So I decided to have a big cooked breakfast. You know, the kind where you stuff yourself so full you can't eat anything else all day, till dinner rolls around.  I settled on making pancakes. But not just any pancakes. Sticky date pancakes. Topped with home made butterscotch sauce, of course. And ice cream. And a handful of chopped pecans :)

Sticky date pancakes
Makes 8-10
1/2 cup seeded dried dates, chopped
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125g butter, softened
2 tablespoons castor sugar
2 eggs
1 cup self raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup buttermilk

For the butterscotch sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
200 ml cream
50g butter

1. Prepare the butterscotch sauce: combine all ingredients in a small saucepan & stir over low heat till combined. Leave on a low simmer whilst preparing the pancakes.
2. Combine dates, water and soda in a bowl. Allow to stand for 5 minutes
3. In a blender or food processor, blend date mixture with butter and sugar on high till pureed. Blend in eggs one at a time on high. Add flour and buttermilk, blend on low speed till just combined
4. Spray a fry pan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat (to test if fry pan is heated, you can flick on a drop of water. If it sizzles, the fry pan is ready). Pour in batter in 1/4 cup quantities. Cook till bubbles form on top, then flip & cook other side.
5. Serve pancakes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and top with warm butterscotch sauce

P.S. extra butterscotch sauce makes a great topping for ice cream, or making really rich milk shakes.