Sticky pear & ginger cake

INGREDIENTS

• 250g stoned dates , finely chopped
• 300ml milk
• 100g butter , plus extra for the tin
• 140g ginger preserve (you'll find this with the jams)
• 140g dark muscovado sugar
• 3 large ripe pears (we used Conference)
• 175g self-raising flour
• 50g pecans nuts, reserve 10 and chop the rest
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• 2 eggs , beaten
• 85g light muscovado sugar
• 150ml brandy