INGREDIENTS
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Sticky Toffee Pudding
500g chopped dates
300ml boiling water
50ml brandy (optional)
5g vanilla essence
185g butter
220g soft light brown sugar
4 eggs
Sieve together:
5g bicarbonate of soda
250g self-raising flour
2g salt
1g ground cloves
1g ground nutmeg
2g ground cinnamon
2g ground ginger
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Toffee Sauce
230g butter
230g dark brown sugar
230ml double cream
40ml dark rum
50g glucose
1g salt
1 vanilla pod, scraped
10g vanilla essence
Cornflour, to thicken
Method
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Pudding
Pour the boiling water over the dates and bicarbonate of soda into a metal bowl. Cover with cling film and leave to cool to blood temperature, around 30 minutes. Add the vanilla essence and brandy (if using), then blend in a food processor to a coarse purée.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixer until light. Add the eggs one at a time, alternating with the sifted dry ingredients and the date mixture, until fully combined.
Transfer the mixture to either individual moulds or a single baking dish, lining the sides with parchment paper. Bake at 180°C for 30–40 minutes, depending on the depth of the pudding, until cooked through.
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Toffee Sauce
Bring the cream, glucose, vanilla pod and seeds, vanilla essence, salt, sugar and rum to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan with cling film and leave to infuse for 20 minutes.
Return to the heat and bring back to a simmer, then whisk in the butter. Thicken slightly with a little cornflour diluted in water, if needed, then pass through a fine sieve.
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Assembly
Serve the warm sticky toffee pudding with the hot toffee sauce, finished with vanilla ice cream or pouring cream.