Sticky Toffee Pudding

Method

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1. 1Heat the oven to 180 °C and butter a dish about 20x20 cm. Put the dates in a bowl, pour over the boiling water, add the bicarbonate of soda (it will fizz) and leave for 10 minutes.
2. 2Roughly mash the dates in their liquid with a fork, or pulse a few times in a blender; it doesn't need to be completely smooth.
3. 3In another bowl, beat the 85 g butter and 140 g sugar with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
4. 4Fold in the flour and baking powder, then the date mixture, stirring only until combined. The batter will be quite runny; that is correct.
5. 5Pour into the dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, until risen, dark on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
6. 6Meanwhile make the sauce: stir the 100 g butter, 150 g sugar and half the cream in a small pan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and bubble for 3-4 minutes until a deep toffee colour, then take off the heat and stir in the remaining cream and the salt.
7. 7Poke a few holes in the warm pudding, pour over some of the sauce and let it soak in for 5 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with the remaining sauce and vanilla ice cream or clotted cream.