Sticky toffee pudding with caramel sauce

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C/fan150°C/ gas 31/2. Put the dates in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and 200ml freshly boiled water. Stir and set aside. Cream the butter, sugar and spices together in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Don’t worry if the mixture curdles – it will come back together.
2. Add the flour, beat well, then pour in the dates and their liquid and mix to make a runny batter. Pour into a buttered 1.6 litre ovenproof dish and bake for 50-60 minutes until the top is golden and firm to the touch, and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.
3. Once the pudding is out of the oven, warm the caramel sauce until runny, either in a microwave or saucepan. Poke holes all over the pudding with a skewer, then pour over some of the hot caramel, allowing it to seep into the pudding. Leave to stand for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve with the rest of the warmed sauce drizzled over.