James' sticky toffee pudding

Ingredients

• 55g/2oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 170g/6oz demerara sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 2 free-range eggs
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 200g/7oz self-raising flour, plus extra for flouring
• 200g/7oz pitted dates
• 290ml/10fl oz boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

For the sauce

• 110ml/4fl oz double cream
• 55g/2oz butter, diced
• 55g/2oz dark muscovado sugar
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• vanilla ice cream, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease and flour 6 individual pudding moulds.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a food processor until pale and fluffy. Add the golden syrup, treacle and eggs, a little at a time, and blend until smooth. Add the flour and blend, at a low speed, until well combined. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Meanwhile, blend the dates and boiling water in a food processor to a smooth purée. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and vanilla.

4. Pour the date mixture into the pudding batter and stir until well combined.

5. Pour the mixture into the moulds and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is springy and golden-brown.

6. To make the sauce, heat all of the ingredients in a pan, stirring occasionally, until boiling.

7. To serve, remove the puddings from the moulds and place onto each of 6 serving plates. Pour over the sauce and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.