STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

INGREDIENTS:

8 ozs (225g) chopped dates (use block dates)
1/2 pint (300ml) tea
4 ozs (110g) unsalted butter
6 ozs (175g) castor sugar
3 eggs
8 ozs (225g) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bread soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Espresso coffee

HOT TOFFEE SAUCE:

4 ozs (110g) butter
6 ozs (175g) dark soft brown,Barbadossugar
4 ozs (110g) granulated sugar
10 ozs (285g) golden syrup
8 flozs (225ml) cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 pint pudding bowl
or
8 inch (20.5cm) spring form tin with removable base or a heavy cake tin

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF.

Soak the dates in hot tea for 15 minutes. Brush the cake tin with oil and place oiled greaseproof paper on the base.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then fold in the sifted flour.  Add the sieved bread soda, vanilla extract and coffee to the date and tea and stir this into the mixture.   Turn into the bowl and cover with parchment paper – cook for 1-1 1/2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean. (Alternatively cook in a spring form tin.)

TOFFEE SAUCE:

Put the butter, sugars and golden syrup into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt gently on a low heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, remove from the heat and gradually stir in the cream and the vanilla extract. Put back on the heat and stir for 2 or 3 minutes until the sauce is absolutely smooth.

Pour some hot sauce on to a serving plate. Turn out the sticky toffee pudding, pour lots more sauce over the top. Put the remainder into a bowl, and to serve with the pudding as well as softly whipped cream.