sticky toffee pudding

method

You are going to love this pudding – it has a rich, fantastic flavor and the sauce is amazing. Fresh Medjool dates are best to use, but dried ones work well too.

Preheat your oven to 350şF. Put the dates in a bowl with the baking soda and cover with 1 cup of boiling water. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes to soften, then drain. Whizz the dates in a food processor until you have a purée. Meanwhile, cream your butter and sugar until pale using a wooden spoon, and add the eggs, flour, pie spices, cinnamon and Ovaltine. Mix together well, then fold in the yogurt and your puréed dates. Pour into a buttered, ovenproof dish and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.

While the pudding is cooking, make the toffee sauce by putting the butter, sugar and cream in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened and darkened in color. To serve, spoon out the pudding at the table and pour over the toffee sauce.

serves: 8

ingredients

• 8oz fresh dates, pitted
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons unsalted softened butter
• ą⁄₂ cup sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon self-rising flour
• ą⁄₄ teaspoon ground mixed
• apple pie spices
• ą⁄₄ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Ovaltine
• 2 tablespoons natural plain yogurt

FOR THE TOFFEE SAUCE
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ą⁄₂ cup packed light brown sugar
• ą⁄₂ cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream