Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

• 200 g date, pitted and roughly chopped
• 2½ dl water, boiling
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 180 g wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 100 g brown sugar
• 75 g butter, softened
• 2 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 100 g brown sugar, for the sauce
• 75 g butter, for the sauce
• 2 dl heavy cream, for the sauce

Method

1. 1.

   Soak and mash the dates — Put the chopped dates in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Leave for 20 minutes until the dates are swollen and collapsing, then mash them roughly with a fork so a few pieces stay whole.

2. 2.

   Cream the butter and sugar — Heat the oven to 180°C and butter a 20 cm square tin. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, followed by the vanilla and the treacle.

3. 3.

   Fold in flour and dates — Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt with a light hand, then stir in the dates together with all their soaking liquid. The batter will look alarmingly loose and speckled — that is exactly right and it is what keeps the sponge damp.

4. 4.

   Bake the sponge — Pour into the tin and bake for 30-35 minutes, until well risen, springy in the centre and a skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not wait for it to come out clean or the sponge will be dry.

5. 5.

   Make the toffee sauce — While it bakes, make the sauce: melt the butter, sugar and cream together in a small pan over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then let it bubble for 5 minutes until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon.

6. 6.

   Douse the warm sponge — Prick the warm sponge all over with a skewer and spoon a third of the hot sauce over it, letting it soak in for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with the rest of the sauce poured over at the table.