This is a delicious and very easy to make sticky toffee pudding! Nothing complicated at all. This is what you'll need:
225g dates, chopped
250ml black tea (not very strong)
100g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
225g self-raising flour
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Put the chopped dates and tea in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes to soften the dates, then remove from the heat and set aside.
Cream the butter and the sugar until light in colour and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the vanilla extract. Fold in the date mixture (cooled, or it will melt the butter and though the pudding will still taste delicious it will be very heavy).
Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and fold in gently until mixed.
Pour the mixture into a 23cm tin and bake for 45 minutes or until done at 180 degrees. Check with a skewer. Leave it to cool in the tin while you make the toffee sauce. You will need:
110g butter
250g soft light brown sugar
275g golden syrup
225ml cream (single or double doesn't matter)
½ tsp vanilla extract
This one is really easy. Dump everything in one pot, bring it to the boil on a really high heat, reduce the heat and let it bubble for 5-10 minutes. TA-DAH! Toffee sauce!
Serve with ice cream or custard, or whipped cream.
Enjoy!
P.S. Line the bottom of your tin with baking paper, 'cause the cake is very moist and the paper will make taking it out of the tin a 100 times easier!
