Ingredients
- For the pudding:
- 150g dark cooking chocolate
- 300ml boiling water
- 150g chopped dates
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g soft light brown or light muscovado sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 225g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- For the toffee sauce:
- 140g golden syrup
- 140g light brown sugar
- 50g unsalted butter
- 115ml whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Grease the sides of a 20cm springform tin and line with base with baking parchment.
- Put the water in a saucepan, reduce to a simmer and soak the dates for 10 minutes. Meanwhile melt the chocolate then set aside to cool.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one by one, and then mix in the melted chocolate.
- Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder, then add the dates and their soaking liquid and stir to mix. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 50 minutes until springy to the touch or a knife comes out clean.
- To make the toffee sauce, put all the ingredients into a saucepan over a high heat and boil for 4-5 minutes, stirring regularly.Serve the cake warm on a large plate and pour over a generous amount of the toffee sauce. Pour the rest into a jug and pass around for guests to help themselves.
