Wood Fired Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

- 350g Water

- 200g Dates

- 1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

- 115g Butter

- 115g Light brown sugar

- 1tsp Vanilla Extract

- 2 eggs

- 200g White self raising flour

- 1⁄8tsp Ground nutmeg

- 1⁄2tsp Ground ginger

- 1⁄2tsp Ground cinnamon

Method

1. Pre-heat the Ember Oven to 190oC. Line a 20cm x 20cm shallow cake tin with parchment paper

2. Roughly chop the dates and put them into a small saucepan with the water. Place the saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer gently for 2 minutes or until the dates are soft.

3. Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the date mature and remove from the heat. The mixture will foam, turn green and then turn dark.

4. Blend the date mixture using a stick blender, or beat throughly by hand to create a paste like consistency . Put to one side and leave to cool slightly.

5. Beat together the butter, light brown sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well between each addition. Then add the date mixture and beat thoroughly.

6. Sieve the flour and spices over the batter mixture and fold together until completely smooth.

7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Place the tin into the Ember Oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until firm to the touch. You can test if your sponge is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre of the sponge, and when you remove it, it should come out clean. If there is any batter on the skewer; return the sponge to the oven for 5 more minutes and test again.

8. Once the sponge is cooking, prick it all over with a skewer to create lots of tiny holes. Pour half of the hot toffee sauce over the top of the pudding and leave to soak in.

9. Cut the sponge into 8 rectangle and serve with the remaining sauce and some vanilla ice cream.

Pecan Toffee Sauce

- 50g Butter

- 150g Golden syrup

- 75g Light muscovado sugar

- 50g Golden granulated sugar

- 150ml Double Cream

- 1tsp Vanilla extract

- Pinch Maldon Salt

- 100g Pecans, toasted & whole

Method

1. Place the butter, golden syrup, light muscovado sugar, golden granulated sugar into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 4-5 minutes until the sauce begins to turn a rich golden colour.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream and the vanilla extract, mix well and put to one side until ready to serve.

3. To serve: warm through the sauce gently and add the maldon salt and toasted pecans. Use as required.

Indulge in the decadent richness of Wood Fired Sticky Toffee Pudding by serving it warm with a generous drizzle of velvety toffee sauce. For an extra touch of luxury, add a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped toasted nuts or a dusting of cinnamon for added texture and flavour. Pair this comforting dessert with a cup of hot tea or coffee to create the perfect ending to any meal. Enjoy the irresistible combination of moist sponge cake, gooey toffee sauce, and creamy accompaniments for a truly memorable dessert experience.