Sticky Date Pudding

Stephanie Alexander's Sticky Toffee Pudding - a favorite in our house:

pudding
170g dates, stoned and chopped
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
300 ml boiling water
60 g unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar (or castor)
2 eggs
170g self-raising flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

sauce
400g brown sugar
1 cup thick cream
250g unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean, split

Preheat oven to 180 celcius and butter an 18cm square cake tin. Mix dates and bicarb. Pour over water and leave to stand.

Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Fold flour in gently, then stir in date mixture and vanilla (I used vanilla bean instead) and pour into prepared tin. Bake in centre of oven for 30-40 minutes until cooked when tested with skewer.

We always do these in individual ramekins, they cook in about 20 minutes and are fun to eat.

To make the sauce, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove vanilla bean. Pour a little sauce over warm pudding(s) and return to oven for 2-3 minutes so sauce can soak in. Serve with extra sauce to pass around.

Hope you enjoy as much as we do.

P394 Cook's Companion 2nd edition.