Sticky Toffee Pudding

Serves 6-8
One of Britain’s richest desserts. It holds everything its title declares. It’s very sticky with an amazing toffee flavour; and as for the toffee sauce, it just dribbles over the black treacle, working beautifully with the cream and Demerara sugar. A pudding we just have to treat ourselves to — an eating experience!

You wlll need

• 1 x 22.5cm square baking tin (28 x 20cm will also work) buttered and/or lined with greaseproof paper
• 175g (6oz) dates, stoned and chopped
• 300ml (10 fl oz) water
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 50g (2oz) unsalted butter
• 175g (6oz) Tate & Lyle Caster Cane Sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the sauce

• 300ml (10fl oz) double cream
• 50g (2oz) Tate & Lyle Demerara Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Lyle's Black Treacle

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

1. Boil the dates in the water for about 5 minutes until soft.
2. Add the bicarbonate of soda, and keep the dates in the water.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar untll light and fluffy, then add the eggs and beat well.
4. Mix in the dates (with the water), the flour and the vanilla essence, then pour into the baking tin.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until just firm to the touch.

To make the sauce

1. Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat and stir together until blended, then bring to the boil.

Cut the pudding into portions and ladle over the sauce.
Note: I use medjool dates in this recipe. They come from India and, without doubt, are the best to eat. They have a natural fudge-toffee flavour that is perfect for this dish, but other varieties can also be used.