Chai sticky date pudding with toffee sauce

“Decorate this rich, fragrant pudding simply with holly or, for a real wow factor, drizzle with warmed brandy and carefully set it alight. ”

150 g unsalted butter , (at room temperature), plus extra for greasing

500 g self-raising flour , plus extra for dusting

500 g dried pitted dates

1 orange

2 chai tea bags

20 g bicarbonate of soda

350 g dark brown sugar

5 large free-range eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

50 g golden syrup

75 g black treacle

TOFFEE SAUCE

125 g double cream

50 g unsalted butter

50 g dark brown sugar

30 g golden syrup

1 lug of brandy

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/gas 2-3 and place a tray of water in the bottom (this creates steam during cooking to keep the pudding moist). Butter and flour a 25cm bundt tin and set aside.
2. Roughly chop the pitted dates, and zest the orange.
3. In a pan, bring 400ml of water to the boil, turn the heat off, add the tea bags and leave to infuse for 3 minutes.
4. Discard the tea bags and bring back to the boil. Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and add the dates. Leave to one side to cool to room temperature.
5. Cream the butter and sugar in a food processor or with a hand-held mixer until incorporated, light and fluffy.
6. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, orange zest, golden syrup and treacle until just combined. Pour into the butter mixture in stages, beating until smooth each time.
7. Sieve the flour and fold gently into the batter. Stir in the date mixture, then pour into the bundt tin.
8. Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes.
9. Pop all the sauce ingredients in a small pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, then remove from the heat.
10. Invert the pudding onto a platter and baste with a little of the sauce. Delicious served with clotted cream and the remaining sauce on the side.