Sticky Toffee Pudding

Inspired by a friend from home who has just set up a business selling sticky toffee puds, I've been craving one, but as she's about 500miles away, I have to make my own. I tracked down a couple of recipes I thought might adapt easily and settled on trying this one from the BBC Good Food website, but halved the quantity in case it didn't work! 

Ended up having to rush it between bath time and dinner, so no pictures of work in progress, but as both (all three if you count husband) boys demolished thirds in record time, I expect well make it again soon and add more photos.

100g Dried dates (chopped)

125ml Hot black tea (or boiling water)

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

45g Dairy and Soya Free Spread

90g Wheat Free Flour (I used gluten free white bread flour rather than plain flour) - as the original recipe is not free-from, you could use plain flour if you don't need it to be wheat free.

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Mixed spice

90g Caster Sugar (or any other sugar you have to hand)

2 tsp Egg replacer mixed into 60ml Oat milk (or other milk substitute)

Sauce:

2 tbsp Light muscovado sugar (I used 1 of dark muscovado and 1 of caster sugar as that's all I had)

50g Dairy and Soya Free Spread

70ml Oat cream (or rice or almond cream)

Heat oven to 180ºC

Put dates in bowl and pour over hot tea/water and leave to soak (not sure how long for, I was playing a game with the boys) until slightly softened. 

Blend to form a thick paste. Mix in the bicarbonate of soda.

Whisk the dairy free spread and sugar until light and fluffy, gradually whisk in the egg replacer mixture.

Whisk in flour, baking powder, and mixed spice.

Fold in the date mixture.

Pour into a greased lined tin (I used a small loaf tin for this quantity).

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until just firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, make the sauce by slowly dissolving sugar and dairy free spread in a small pan. 

Add the oat cream and simmer slowly until thickened slightly.

Cut cake into squares/slices, pour on the toffee sauce and serve with oat cream or dairy free ice cream.