Sticky Date Pudding With Toffee Sauce

Ok, this dessert is to die for, no kidding. Moist and sweet, full of sticky dates and lots of caramel flavour. The toffee sauce is it’s crowning glory. DO please make it, but if you want you can just serve it warm with some cold vanilla ice cream melting over the top. (Make the sauce though….you won’t be sorry you did!)

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 180  g dried dates, pitted, chopped
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 50  g unsalted butter
• 150  g brown sugar
• 2  eggs
• 180  g self raising flour, sifted

• TOFFEE SAUCE

• 150  g brown sugar
• 250  ml  cream (you can use the same amount of carnation light evaporated milk, undiluted, makes it a lot lower in f)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 20  g unsalted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180*C/375*F.
2. Combine dates and baking soda in a heatproof bowl.
3. Pour over 250ml of boiling water.
4. Set dates aside till room temperature.
5. Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl till pale.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth.
7. Fold in flour then stir in date mixture, including the water.
8. Pour mixture into greased and floured 8 inch deep cake pan and bake for 30-45 minutes until cooked through; set aside for a couple of minutes before turning out.
9. To make sauce, combine all ingredients over low heat, stirring until butter has melted.
10. Simmer for 5 minutes.
11. Serve hot!