Sticky Toffee Pudding

Toffee sauce

This sticky toffee pudding recipe is absolutely gorgeous. The toffee sauce is perfection, and I usually make double and put it on everything possible, ice cream, cakes, biscuits, I would probably drink it if I didn't mind having loads of fillings at the dentist.

The recipe has come from Rachel at Demuths, it is in no way mine and I haven't bothered to mess with it as it's perfection. The only thing I've changed is using chopped dates as it's quicker than waiting for whole dates to melt down. It was also recommended to serve with ice cream but in my opinion that is sacrilege and should always be served with custard!

This will make a brownie pan or 9x9 square pan, line with greaseproof paper because pouring the sauce is messy and it's much easier to lift it out instead of cutting it out or trying to tip it.

Sponge

• 250ml soya milk 
• 100ml water 
• 200g dates 
• 1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 
• 115g vegan margarine 
• 115g soft brown sugar 
• 200g white self raising flour 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Toffee Sauce

• 100g golden syrup 
• 200g soft brown sugar 
• 150g vegan margarine 
• 100ml soya cream 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method:

To make the sponge:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C/Gas5.
2. Chop the dates in half and put them in a small saucepan and cover with the soya milk and water. Simmer until the dates are soft. 
3. Take off the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda, which will froth as you add it to the date mixture. 
4. Leave to cool. 
5. Beat together the margarine and sugar until pale and creamy. 
6. Add the date mixture and stir in.
7. Mix the spices into the flour. 
8. Sieve the flour and fold into the sponge mixture. Spoon the sponge mixture into the prepared tin. 
9. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until cooked. The sponge will bounce back when pressed. 

To make the sauce: 

1. Melt the syrup, margarine, sugar and vanilla essence in a small saucepan.
2. Simmer for 5 minutes without stirring. 
3. Leave to cool slightly and then stir in the soya cream. 
4. Prick the pudding all over and pour half the hot toffee sauce over the pudding. 
5. Serve the rest of the sauce with the pudding and custard