1. Chop the Medjool dates and place them in a saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes until soft. Let cool slightly and blend into a puree.

2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Fold in the pureed dates.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Gently fold this into the wet mixture until just combined.

4. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish. Pour the batter into the dish and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. For the toffee sauce, combine heavy cream, dark brown sugar, and butter in a saucepan. Simmer while stirring until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

6. Cut the pudding into squares and drizzle with toffee sauce before serving.