Black Treacle Sticky Toffee Pudding with Salted Toffee Sauce

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C fan). Butter Ø 9 cm ×2 dish(es) and line the base with a piece of baking paper cut to fit; because the pudding goes back in the oven with sauce, the paper stops the base from sticking.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, softened (includes some for greasing) 5.3 g

2. Roughly chop the dates, put them in a heatproof jug with the hot tea and bicarbonate of soda and leave for 10 min. Blitz with a stick blender to an almost smooth purée; a purée makes the whole sponge evenly moist and darker.

   Add in this stepMedjool dates, pitted 85 gStrong hot black tea 110 mlBicarbonate of soda ¼ tsp

3. Beat the softened butter, muscovado and treacle with an electric whisk for 3 min until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg a little at a time, then the vanilla. If it curdles, add a spoonful of the weighed flour to bring it back.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter, softened (includes some for greasing) 30 gDark muscovado sugar 55 gBlack treacle (molasses) 1½ tspEgg, beaten (half an egg is about 25 g) 1Vanilla extract ½ tsp

4. Sift in the flour, baking powder, mixed spice and salt, fold lightly, then add the date purée and fold just until smooth. Fill the dish(es) two-thirds full and tap them on the worktop to knock out large air bubbles.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 70 gBaking powder ½ tspMixed spice ¼ tspSalt 1 pinch

5. Bake on the middle shelf (oven) for 22 min, until the edges are just shrinking from the sides and a skewer in the centre comes out clean.

   oven

6. Put the sauce butter, muscovado and golden syrup in a 14 cm saucepan on medium-low heat and stir until melted, then turn up to medium heat and bubble for 4 min until deep amber and smelling of caramel. Off the heat, slowly whisk in the cream, keeping your arm back as it will steam and spit, then stir in the flaky salt.

   Add in this stepButter (for the sauce) 45 gDark muscovado sugar (for the sauce) 60 gGolden syrup 1 tbspDouble cream 120 mlFlaky sea salt ¼ tsp

   medium-low heat→medium heat

7. Prick the hot pudding all over with a skewer, pour over a third of the sauce and return it to the oven (oven) for 5 min, until the sauce has soaked right in and the top is sticky and glossy.

   oven

8. Leave for 2 minutes, then turn out or cut into squares. Serve with the remaining warm sauce spooned over and a spoonful of cold clotted cream on top.

   Add in this stepClotted cream (or crème fraîche) 60 g