Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce

Finely chop the pitted dates, pour boiling water over them, add the baking soda and leave for 10 minutes; then mash with a fork into a thick paste.

Preheat the oven to 180°C, grease a 20 × 20 cm baking tin with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Cream the softened butter for the batter with the brown sugar for the batter until light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until the mixture is smooth.

Sift the flour and baking powder, gently fold them into the batter, then add the date mixture along with its liquid and mix without overbeating.

Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

For the toffee sauce, melt the butter for the sauce in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add the brown sugar for the sauce and the cream, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.

Let the pudding rest for 5 minutes, cut into portions, and serve warm, generously drizzled with hot toffee sauce.