Ingredients

• 200g/7oz dates
• pitted
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
• plus extra for greasing
• 200g/7oz soft dark brown sugar
• 3 free-range eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 200g/7oz plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 120g/4oz unsalted butter
• 130g/4½oz light soft brown sugar
• 100g/3½oz dark soft brown sugar
• 500ml/18fl oz double cream
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 50ml/2fl oz whole milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 75g/2½oz caster sugar

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm/8in square cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
• Place the dates and 150ml/5fl oz water in a saucepan and simmer for about 5 minutes
• until softened and beginning to break down. Allow to cool slightly
• then blend to a paste in a food processor. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and leave to cool.
• Meanwhile
• cream the butter and soft dark brown sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time
• then the vanilla extract. Fold in the flour and baking powder and
• finally
• the cooled date mixture.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes
• or until cooked through. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out fairly clean.
• Meanwhile
• make the toffee sauce. Slowly melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the sugars and stir until dissolved. Finally
• stir in the cream and simmer for 3 minutes.
• To make the custard
• heat the cream
• milk and vanilla extract in a small
• heavy-bottomed saucepan until bubbles form at the edges. Meanwhile
• whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Slowly pour a little of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks
• whisking constantly. Gradually add the egg yolk mixture back into the remaining milk mixture
• whisking constantly. Cook
• stirring all the time
• until thickened (the mixture should coat the back of a spoon).
• To serve
• turn the pudding out onto a plate and pour over half of the toffee sauce
• reserving the rest to be served in a jug alongside. Cut into squares and serve with extra toffee sauce and custard.