Sticky Toffee Pudding

Hello, hello. It's been a while, but I've been away in Egypt (blog to follow on that...).

Had to stop the Daniel Fast prematurely due to going, as I knew it was going to be difficult to stick to the rules while I was eating in another country in hotels and so on.

Anyway, I have quite a bit to catch you all up on in the next few blogs, but for today, I'll be showing you a sticky toffee pudding I've put together to welcome a couple of friends back to the country from South Africa.

Unashamedly, I've nicked this recipe from Jamie Oliver, so if you recognise it, that's why. Enjoy!

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For the cake you will need:

- 225g dates (fresh is preferable, but I soaked some partially dried ones)

- 1tsp bicarbonate soda

- 85g butter

- 170g caster sugar

- 2 eggs

- 170g self raising flour

- 1tsp cinammon

- 2tbsp ovaltine

- 2tbsp yoghurt

This is a nice and easy, one bowl sort of pudding to put together. You can't really mess it up unless you're me and you double the date quantity by accident. Ha. Hopefully it'll taste alright - still looks edible at least... David Disaster ahoy.

Anyway, the first thing to do is to de-stone your dates and then (if they're not already very soft) soak them in a bowl of boiling water with the bicarbonate of soda.

Leave them for a few minutes to soak, and while you do, turn your attention to starting the cake.

Get the oven heating to 180°C. Then cream the butter and sugar together before thoroughly mixing in the flour, ovaltine, eggs and spices.

Once the dates are nice and gooey, drain them off and blitz them in a food processor until they become a purée, then fold this into the cake mixture along with the yoghurt.

Pour the mixture into a suitable baking tin and leave it in the oven for about 35 minutes (unless you've doubled the quantity of dates, in which case, an hour is more like what you'll need.

I've made the cake in advance of this evening, but I'll be finishing the caramel sauce later on so that it's not cold and set!

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For the caramel sauce you will need:

- 140ml double cream

- 115g muscovado sugar

- 115g butter

Simply melt the sugar and butter in a saucepan before combining with the cream and leaving to cook out - it should darken and thicken a little. Careful not to burn it!

Please excuse the above squashed up picture - mobile phone pictures aren't the best... At least not from my phone!

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Coming up:

- Like I said, I've a blog about all my food experiences in Egypt to come.

- Also hosting a Burns Lunch at work tomorrow.