Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

• 200g Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 250ml boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 175g self-raising flour
• 175g dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 75g butter, softened
• For the sauce: 200g dark brown sugar, 200ml double cream, 100g butter

Method

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease a 23cm square baking tin.

2. 2

   Soak the dates in the boiling water with the bicarbonate of soda for 10 minutes.

3. 3

   Cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

4. 4

   Fold in the flour, then stir in the date mixture (liquid and all).

5. 5

   Pour into the tin and bake for 30–35 minutes until just set.

6. 6

   For the sauce: melt the butter and sugar together, add the cream and bubble for 3 minutes.

7. 7

   Pierce the warm pudding all over with a skewer and pour over half the sauce. Return to the oven for 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Serve with the remaining warm sauce and vanilla ice cream.