Sticky toffee pudding
It's Friday - you've made it through half term in one piece, now treat yourself to the ultimate weekend bake. Phil Vickery's to the rescue with the perfect mixture of stodgy- sweetness with his Sticky Toffee Baked Pud. Sit back relax and enjoy a slice or two!
Serves 6-8Preparation time: 20 minutes.Cooking time: 45-50 minutes.
Ingredients:
1 level tsp baking powder230g self raising flour150g Medjool dates, chopped 1cm pieces50g plump sultanas275mls boiling water1 tbsp black treacle90g softened salted butter, room temp140g soft brown sugar2 medium eggs1 tbsp vanilla extract
For the sauce:
115g salted butter140g light brown sugar1 tbsp black treacle275mls double creamDash lemon juice2 tbsp vanilla extract
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 5, 190 C.
For the pudding, mix the baking powder and flour together and sieve well into a bowl.
Pour the boiling water over the fruit and add the black treacle, stir well.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Next add the beaten egg in small amounts along with the vanilla extract. Add 2 tbsp of the sifted flour to the creamed butter and combine. Carefully mix in the rest of the flour, do not overwork or the sponge will be chewy. Gently mix in the chopped dates, sultanas, boiling water and treacle.
Pour into a well buttered 30cm square dish. Bake for about 40 minutes until well risen and cooked through.
For the sauce: place the butter, sugar, treacle and cream together into a saucepan and bring to the boil, whisk well until you have a thick butterscotch sauce.
Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and vanilla extract.
I pour a little sauce over the sponge and return to the oven for 5 minutes to bubble slightly.
This is very important, serve with PLENTY of sauce (chefs never serve enough, it should come halfway up the pudding in the bowl) along with thick double cream and vanilla ice cream!