Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky toffee pudding is the staple gastropub dessert, and done well is an absolute delight. In fact, I would go as far to suggest that you can judge a pub's entire menu by the quality of its sticky toffee pudding. Don't believe me? Well this is exactly what I once did. In a previous life I used to work for a leading magazine for the pub trade and my then-girlfriend (who eventually became my wife) was food editor. Every year she would judge the best food pub, with the winner receiving a coveted award at a glitzy London ceremony. One year I decided to tag along on the mystery visit to each finalist, where we would stuff our faces, have a couple of drinks and generally twat about – all courtesy of our company. Basically all the finalists were of an equally high standard, so we decided that the winner should be the one that served the best sticky toffee pudding. Six calorific desserts later and a winner was found. This is the first time I've made it myself and I have to say that if The Albion Tavern had entered that year (notwithstanding that it's not an actual real pub and my girlfriend was the head judge), it would have been right up there. Serves 8.

Ingredients:
200g dried dates, stoned and chopped. Buy Medjool if you can
250ml black tea (not too strong)
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
85g unsalted butter, softened
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
175g golden caster sugar
2 eggs, beaten

For the toffee sauce:
100g light muscovado sugar
100g unsalted butter
142ml carton double cream

Method:
1. Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Put the dates and tea in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for 3-4 minutes to soften the dates. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
2. Beat the butter and caster sugar together with electric beaters until pale and creamy, then beat in the egg, flour and mixed spice. Fold in the date mixture and pour into a buttered ovenproof dish or brownie tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is just firm to touch.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce by putting the sugar, butter and cream in a pan over a low heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Cook until the sauce is a lovely toffee colour. Cut the pudding into squares and serve with the warm sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.