Little Sticky Toffee Puddings with Pecan Toffee SauceServes 8 peopleFor the puddings:

• 75g butter at room temperature
• 150g castor sugar
• 2 eggs (medium) beaten
• 175g self raising flour, sifted
• 175g stoned dates, chopped
• 175ml boiling water
• � teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 teaspoons of coffee essence
• � teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the Sauce:

• 175g soft brown sugar
• 110g butter
• 6 tablespoons double cream
• 25g pecan nuts, chopped

To Serve:

• Chilled pouring cream

Additional Needs:

• eight 175g metal pudding basins, or eight 3” (7.5cm) ramekin dishes,
• lightly oiled with groundnut oil,
• a Swiss roll tin, and a baking sheet

Method:

• preheat oven to 180�C (gas mark 4, 350�F)
• begin by putting chopped dates into a bowl and pouring boiling water onto them. Then add the vanilla, coffee essence, and bicarbonate of soda, and leave on one side.
• Next in a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar together, until the mixture is pale, light and fluffy.
• Now gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
• After this is done, carefully and lightly fold in the flour using a metal spoon, and then you can fold in the date mixture (including the liquid).
• You’ll probably think that the mixture looks very sloppy, this does not matter though.
• Divide the mixture between the eight containers, place them on a baking tray and bake for 25 minutes in the oven.
• When cooked, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then using a cloth, slide a small palette knife round the moulds and turn out the puddings.
• If the have risen a little too much, just trim the tops so they sit evenly on the plates
• Place puddings on a shallow, Swiss roll style tin, next make the sauce by combining all the ingredients in a saucepan, and gently heating to a simmer until all the sugar has melted and all the crystals have dissolved.

Serving:

• Preheat the grill to it’s highest setting, pour sauce evenly over the puddings.
• Place under the grill so tops are about 5cm from heat (knock off nuts to stop them browning) and let them heat for 8 minutes.
• The tops will become brown and slightly crunchy and the sauce will be hot and bubbly.
• Serve with chilled pouring cream and sit back and watch the ecstasy on the faces of your guests.

Additional Notes:

• Freezing: freeze the puddings at the cooked stage, and pour the sauce over and re-heat when you have defrosted them.

   

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