1 - Stone and chop the dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour the boiling water over.
2 - Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork.
3 - Stir in the vanilla extract.
4 - Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet.
5 - Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Sticky Toffee Pudding Ultimate | Taste Board
6 - While the dates are soaking, make the puddings.
7 - Mix the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
8 - Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar).
9 - Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions.
10 - Beat in the black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour, then half the milk, being careful not to overbeat.
11 - Repeat until all the flour and milk is used.
12 - Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter.
13 - The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter.
14 - Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.
15 - Meanwhile, put the sugar and butter for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the cream.
16 - Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
17 - Stir in the black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn.
18 - Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the cream.
19 - Remove the puddings from the oven.
20 - Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out.
21 - You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they’ll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce.
22 - To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes.
23 - Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them.
24 - Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn’t smudge (no need to chill).
25 - When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
26 - Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling.
27 - Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.
