It is just a simple fact that Sticky Toffee Pudding is everyone’s favourite, they just may be in denial about it. My son adores this stuff and will happily try to eat his own body weight of sticky deliciousness. If you don’t like Sticky Toffee Pudding, that’s fine: Jamie will eat your share!

• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup pitted dates (UPDATE JUL 2019: use prunes instead. You’ll thank me.)
• 1 1/4 cups boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  SAUCE
• 1 stick unsalted butter (4oz/112g)
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch round or square baking dish. Sift the flour and baking powder onto a sheet of waxed paper. Chop the dates fine. Place in a small bowl and add the boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a bowl of electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until blended. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Add the date mixture to the batter and fold until blended with a spatula. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake until pudding is set and firm on top, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack.

Toffee Sauce: Combine the butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil gently over medium low heat until mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. Preheat broiler. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the sauce over the pudding. Spread evenly on top. Place pudding under the broiler until the topping is bubbly, about 1 minute. Serve immediately spooned into dessert bowls. Drizzle with toffee sauce and top with a spoonful of whipped or clotted cream.

HOW TO MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE
Instead of regular all purpose / plain flour, use the pudding flour recipe. Do not preheat the oven until after the batter is all mixed and ready to go.