Name: Self-saucing sticky toffee chocolate pudding
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 200g pitted medjool dates; 100g unsalted butter softened, plus extra for the dish; 75g demerara sugar; 75g dark brown soft sugar; 2 large eggs; 250g plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tbsp baking powder; 100g dark chocolate roughly chopped; vanilla ice cream or custard, to serve; 200ml double cream; 75g unsalted butter cubed; 200g dark brown soft sugar; 30g cocoa powder

Self-saucing sticky toffee chocolate pudding

200g pitted medjool dates
100g unsalted butter
softened, plus extra for the dish
75g demerara sugar
75g dark brown soft sugar
2 large eggs
250g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp baking powder
100g dark chocolate
roughly chopped
vanilla ice cream
or custard, to serve

For the sauce

200ml double cream
75g unsalted butter
cubed
200g dark brown soft sugar
30g cocoa powder

Method

step 1
Put the dates in a bowl and pour in 300ml boiling water. Leave to soak for 30 mins. Meanwhile, make the sauce by tipping all the ingredients, a big pinch of salt and 300ml boiling water into a pan, then whisk over a medium heat and simmer for 2 mins. Pour into a jug and leave to cool slightly. Once the dates are soaked, use a hand blender to blitz the dates and water until you have smooth paste. Leave to cool slightly. Butter a deep 35 x 25cm dish.
step 2
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Beat together the butter and sugar for 3 mins until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between each addition. Fold in the flour, bicarb and baking powder along with a pinch of salt. Once combined, mix in the date purée, then fold in the dark chocolate. Pour the sponge batter into the prepared dish and spread out evenly using the back of a spoon. Pour the chocolate sauce evenly over the top of the batter.
step 3
Bake in the oven for 30-35 mins until risen, then leave to rest for 2 mins. Serve warm with a big scoop of ice cream or warm custard.