Sticky Toffee Pudding Ultimate

Ingredients

• 225g Medjool dates
• 175ml Boiling water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs
• 85g butter
• 140g demerara sugar
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 100ml milk
• 1 scoop ice cream
• 175g muscovado sugar
• 225ml double cream

Instructions

1. Stone and finely chop the dates, place them in a bowl and pour over the boiling water. Leave for about 30 minutes until softened and cooled, then mash lightly with a fork and stir in the vanilla extract. Butter and flour seven small pudding moulds (about 200 ml each) and place them on a baking tray. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas mark 4.
2. While the dates are soaking, prepare the batter. Mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together in one bowl. Lightly beat the eggs in another. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale but still slightly grainy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Stir in the black treacle, then gently fold in one third of the flour mixture followed by half of the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk are incorporated. Stir in the soaked dates; the batter will be thick and soft, even if it looks slightly uneven.
3. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared moulds and bake for 20–25 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch.
4. To make the sauce, place the sugar and butter in a medium saucepan with half of the cream. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, add the black treacle and let the sauce bubble for 2–3 minutes until a deep toffee colour develops. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining cream.
5. Remove the puddings from the oven and leave them in the moulds briefly. Loosen the edges and turn them out. They can be served immediately with the sauce poured over, or left coated in the sauce for a day or two to become even stickier. To do this, pour some of the sauce into an ovenproof dish, place the puddings on top and cover with the remaining sauce. Cover loosely with foil.
6. When ready to serve, reheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas mark 4 and warm the puddings, still covered, for 15–20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Serve on their own or with cream or custard.

instructions_source: editorial-classic