Dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

Flour, for dusting
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing
8 ounces dates, chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons black tea
6 ounces golden caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces self-rising flour
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda ( baking soda)
Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, to serve
Toffee Sauce, recipe follows
Toffee Sauce
1 stick butter
9 ounces soft light brown sugar or half brown and half caster sugar (superfine)
1 1/4 cups golden syrup
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Boozy Toffee Sauce
1 stick butter
8 ounces soft light brown sugar or half brown and half caster sugar (superfine)
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup sweet sherry

Instructions

Moist, sweet, moreish and very straightforward to make, this is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. It can be prepared entirely in advance and will keep very well once cooked, lasting five or six days in an airtight box in the refrigerator or up to three months in the freezer. Before serving, just warm it up in a low oven for about 15 minutes covered (defrost first if it has been frozen).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter and flour the sides of an 8-inch springform pan or an 8 by 8-inch square cake pan and line the base with parchment or greaseproof paper.
Place the chopped dates and tea in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes to soften the dates, and then remove from the heat, and set aside.
In a large bowl or an electric food mixer, beat the butter until soft. Add the sugar, and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, and then beat in the mixed spice and vanilla extract. Fold in the date mixture. Sift in the flour, and bicarbonate of soda, and gently fold in until combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, and bake until the top is just firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Let the cake stand in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a serving plate. While the cake is cooking, make the Toffee Sauce.
To serve: Cut the cake into slices, and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and a very generous drizzle of warm toffee sauce over the top!