Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup chopped dried pitted dates
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (, softened)
• 2 tablespoons black treacle ((molasses))
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 knob butter ((to grease the baking dish))
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (, softened)
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon black treacle ((molasses))
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Baking dish ((11x8 inches / 24 x 28 cm))

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Cake ---

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.

3. 3

   Lightly grease the baking dish.

4. 4

   Add the dates, boiling water and baking soda into a bowl. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes.

5. 5

   Whip the butter and black treacle together in a stand mixer until well incorporated.

6. 6

   Add the sugar and mix again.

7. 7

   Add an egg and keep beating until incorporated, then add the other egg and continue beating to incorporate.

8. 8

   Reduce the speed, then add the flour and baking powder until obtaining a thick smooth batter.

9. 9

   Pour the chopped dates and their liquid into the batter, then beat gently to incorporate.

10. 10

    Pour the batter into the baking dish.

11. 11

    Bake in the pre-heated oven for 35 minutes.

12. 12

    --- Sauce ---

13. 13

    Melt the butter, brown sugar and treacle in a saucepan over very low heat.

14. 14

    Stir gently until everything is melted.

15. 15

    Then stir in the heavy cream, and increase the heat.

16. 16

    When it starts bubbling, take the saucepan off the heat.

17. 17

    As the cake is out of the oven, prick the pudding with a fork all over its surface.

18. 18

    Pour about a third of the sauce over, making sure that the sponge cake is entirely covered.

19. 19

    Put a lid on the remaining sauce in the pan to keep it warm.

20. 20

    Set the pudding aside for 30 minutes.

21. 21

    Serve with vanilla ice cream or custard, and the rest of the toffee sauce.