Name: Sticky toffee parsnip pudding
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 10
Ingredients: 125g unsalted butter softened at room temperature; 150g pitted good-quality dates roughly chopped; ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 200g dark muscovado sugar; 3 large eggs beaten; 200g self-raising flour; 2 tbsp treacle; ½ tsp ground ginger; 2 stem ginger balls, chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup; 300g parsnip peeled and coarsely grated; 200g unsalted butter; 200g dark muscovado sugar; 300ml pot double cream; ice cream to serve

125g unsalted butter
softened at room temperature
150g pitted good-quality dates
roughly chopped
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g dark muscovado sugar
3 large eggs
beaten
200g self-raising flour
2 tbsp treacle
½ tsp ground ginger
2 stem ginger
balls, chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup
300g parsnip
peeled and coarsely grated

For the sauce

200g unsalted butter
200g dark muscovado sugar
300ml pot double cream
ice cream
to serve

Method

step 1
Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 1/2 and butter and line the base of a 23cm square cake tin. In a bowl, cover the dates and bicarb with boiling water and leave to sit for 10 mins to soften, then drain and blitz to a rough paste in a food processor.
step 2
Using an electric hand whisk or tabletop mixer, cream the butter with the sugar until golden and fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs. Add the date paste, flour, treacle, ginger, stem ginger, syrup, parsnips and a pinch of salt. Mix to combine, and pour into the tin. Bake for 30 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with only a few crumbs attached.
step 3
Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce. Put the butter, sugar and cream in a saucepan with 1 tsp flaky sea salt over a gentle heat. Cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, the butter has melted and the sauce has thickened and is toffee coloured. Remove the cake from the tin and slice. Serve with the sauce and vanilla ice cream.