Mairead’s sticky toffee pudding with hazelnut toffee sauce

Method

1. Preheat the oven at 170°C. Grease a 20cm spring form tin and line it with greaseproof paper.

2. Place the dates in a saucepan with the boiling water, and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes or until the dates are soft.

3. Drain and then whiz the dates in a blender until they have a smooth consistency.

4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter and sugar until creamy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time.

5. Stir in the blended dates, then fold in the flour and bicarbonate of soda and mix well.

6. Bake for 1 hour.

7. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pour half of the cream into a saucepan and stir in the brown sugar and butter. Bring to the boil, stirring frequently. When the sauce looks golden, stir in the remaining cream and half of the hazelnuts.

8. Turn out the cooked sponge onto a serving dish.

9. Pour over the hazelnut toffee sauce and sprinkle the remaining hazelnuts on top. Delicious served with cream or vanilla ice cream.