Sticky Toffee Pudding

There is very little that can compare with the glory of a sticky toffee pudding. My STP is altogether deeper and darker than the original version: it is still sweet, but the muscovado sugar and black treacle give it an almost savage intensity.

It shouldn’t be eaten piping hot, but warm: once the sponge has been topped with a glaze of the sauce you should leave it for 30 minutes before serving, though you can easily leave it for up to an hour. I recommend serving this with the Salted Caramel Ice Cream — in fact, I positively urge you to. (And for Christmas, I suggest the brandified version.) The combination is truly joyous.

You will find it easier to measure the treacle if you dip the spoon into boiling water or run it under the hot tap first.

For the sponge

200 grams soft dried pitted dates (roughly chopped)

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

75 grams soft unsalted butter (plus more for greasing)

2 x 15ml tablespoons black treacle

50 grams dark muscovado sugar

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

150 grams plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

For the sauce

150 grams soft unsalted butter

300 grams dark muscovado sugar

1 x 15ml tablespoon black treacle

200 millilitres double cream (plus more to serve)

For the sponge

7 ounces soft dried pitted dates (roughly chopped)

1 teaspoon baking soda

5 tablespoons soft unsalted butter (plus more for greasing)

2 tablespoons black molasses

¼ cup dark brown sugar

2 large eggs (at room temperature)

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

For the sauce

10 tablespoons soft unsalted butter

1½ cups dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon black molasses

¾ cup heavy cream (plus more to serve)

Method

You will need 1 x approx 23cm / 9-inch square baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F and lightly grease your dish. Put the chopped dates, 200ml/¾ cup of boiling water and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, give a stir and then leave for 10 minutes.

Cream the butter and black treacle until well mixed, then add the sugar and mix again, beating out any lumps. Beat in an egg and keep beating — scraping down as necessary — until completely incorporated, then do likewise with the other egg. Beating more gently, add the flour and baking powder until you have a smooth, thick batter.

Using a fork, stir the soaked dates, squishing them a bit, then pour the dates and their liquid into the batter and beat gently to mix in.

Pour and scrape into your prepared dish or cake tin and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the pudding's in the oven, you can make the sauce. Melt the butter, muscovado sugar and treacle over a very low heat in a heavy-based saucepan. Once the butter's melted, stir gently until everything else is melted too. Now stir in the cream, then turn up the heat and when it's bubbling and hot, take it off the heat.

As soon as it's out of the oven, prick the cooked sponge pudding all over with a cocktail stick and pour about a quarter of the warm sauce over, easing it to the edges with a spatula so that the sponge is entirely topped with a thick sticky glaze. Put a lid on the remaining sauce in the pan to keep it warm.

Leave for 20-30 minutes, or up to an hour is fine, then take to the table, with the rest of the sauce in a jug, and cream to serve.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F and lightly grease your dish. Put the chopped dates, 200ml/¾ cup of boiling water and baking soda into a bowl, give a stir and then leave for 10 minutes.

Cream the butter and black molasses until well mixed, then add the sugar and mix again, beating out any lumps. Beat in an egg and keep beating — scraping down as necessary — until completely incorporated, then do likewise with the other egg. Beating more gently, add the flour and baking powder until you have a smooth, thick batter.

Additional Information

MAKE AHEAD/STORE: Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, covered tightly with cling film, for up to 5 days. Store the sponge and extra sauce separately. Reheat sauce gently in a saucepan. The sponge can be reheated on low power in a microwave for 1-2 minutes according to the manufacturer's instructions.