Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky toffee pudding may seem simple, but it pulls off a rare and rather wonderful trick by managing to be both light and indulgence at the same time.

This is a traditional British version, with dates, muscavado sugar and black treacle.

• 250g pitted dates
• 200ml boiling water
• 100ml milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract
• 90g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoon of black treacle
• 2 medium eggs
• 100g Muscavado sugar
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate

1. Soak the dates in the water fro 20 minutes, to soften them.
2. Once the dates are ready, preheat the oven to 180C.
3. Add everything except the flour and baking powder, then put through a blender until smooth.
4. Now mix in the flour and baking powder, stirring gently but thoroughly to get rid of any clumps or granular texture.
5. Line a baking dish or tray with baking parchment.
6. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown, springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
7. Remove from the tray and leave to cool before slicing.
8. Serve as they are or warm through for service in a low oven