Easy Sticky Toffee Pudding!

For the cake:
400g dates, no stones, chopped finely
100g dark muscovado sugar
175g self-raising flour
125g full fat milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g unsalted butter, melted

For the sauce:
200g muscovado sugar
25g unsalted butter in little blobs
500ml boiling water

• Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees Celcius/gas mark 5.
• Butter a one and half litre capacity pudding dish.
• Combine 100g sugar with flour in large bowl.
• Pour milk into measuring jug, beat in the egg, vanilla and melted butter Pour this mixture over the sugar and flour. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Fold in the dates then scrape into the pre-prepared pudding dish. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look very full – it will do by the time it cooks.

• Sprinkle over 200g sugar and dot with melted butter. Pour over the boiling water (yes really!) and transfer (carefully) to the oven.
• Set the timer for 45 minture (though it may need 5 or 10 minutes more.
• The top of the pudding should be springy and spongy when it’s cooked; underneath, the butter, sugar, and water will have turned into a rich sticky sauce.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream, crème fraiche, double or single cream as you wish.
• Serves 6-8