Ingredients

• 350g/12¼oz dates
• 300ml/10½fl oz boiling water
• 100g/3½oz butter
• 300g/10½oz brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 400g/14¼oz self-raising flour
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• pouring cream
• to serve
• 600ml/21¼fl oz cream
• 250g/8¾oz brown sugar
• 100g/3½oz butter
• 30g/1¼oz hazelnuts
• large mixing bowl
• whisk
• blender
• baking tin 30 X 6cm (12 x 2½in)

Directions

• Place the dates in a saucepan and cover with boiling water over a low heat.
• Leave to simmer for 15 minutes or until the dates are soft. Drain and transfer to a blender and blend until the dates are of a smooth consistency.
• In a large mixing bowl
• whisk the butter and sugar
• then one by one add the eggs. Mix in the date mixture. Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda
• and fold in
• mixing well.
• Grease the baking tin and line with greaseproof paper. Pour in the mixture and bake for 60 minutes at 165C/330F/Gas 2.
• While the sponge is baking
• make the sauce. Pour half the cream
• brown sugar and butter into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil
• stirring frequently.
• When the sauce reaches a golden colour
• stir in the remaining cream and half the hazelnuts.
• When the sponge is cooked
• remove from the baking tin
• onto a serving dish.
• Pour over the hot toffee and hazelnut sauce and sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts on top. Serve with pouring cream.