As the darker evenings have arrived it’s a great time to indulge in some warm, comforting puddings.

Sticky Toffee Pudding with White Chocolate Parfait

Serves 8

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes

Pudding:

  • 300g dry dates
  • 120g butter
  • 200g sugar
  • 100g black treacle
  • 300g golden syrup
  • 4 eggs
  • 360g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Toffee sauce:

  • 750ml double cream
  • 175g sugar
  • Half a cup of water

White chocolate parfait:

  • 500g mascarpone
  • 200g white chocolate
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 40ml double cream
  • 2 tsp of sugar

For the pudding: Simmer the dates at a low heat for five minutes and drain. In a separate bowl mix the butter and sugar until creamy.

Add the black treacle, golden syrup and eggs into the creamed butter and sugar. Slowly sieve the flour and baking powder, folding it into the mixture.

Mix in the dates. Pour the mixture into a grease lined baking dish.

Cook at 180c for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and prick the top of the pudding with a fork and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

For the toffee sauce (prepare while pudding cools): Pour the sugar into saucepan. Add the half a cup of water. Cook till golden brown (caramel). Stir in the double cream. Once your pudding has cooked and cooled down pour half the sauce over the top. Leave remaining sauce to serve.

For best results leave the pudding overnight for the sauce to soak into the pudding and re-heat the pudding (in a hot oven for 20 minutes) and remaining sauce at your leisure.

For the white chocolate parfait: Melt the white chocolate. In a separate bowl mix together the mascarpone, vanilla pod, double cream and sugar.

Add in the melted chocolate and stir until smooth.

When your pudding is heated and ready to serve with the warm toffee sauce, carefully spoon a small amount of the parfait mixture on top.