Mary Berry's sticky toffee pudding

Serves 8

Calories per serving: 690

Ingredients
* 90g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
* 150g light muscovado sugar
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 tbsp coffee extract
* 175g self-raising flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 175g (6oz) stoned dates, roughly chopped
* 90g (3oz) walnuts, roughly chopped
* 175ml (6fl oz) hot water

Toffee Sauce
* 125g butter
* 175g light muscovado sugar
* 6 tbsp double cream
* 60g walnuts, roughly chopped

Method

1. To make the pudding: butter a deep 18cm (7in) square cake tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.

2. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, coffee extract, flour, and baking powder into a large bowl. Beat well until smooth and thoroughly blended.

3. Stir in the dates and walnuts and then the measured hot water. Pour the mixture into the cake tin.

4. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (160°C fan, Gas 4) for 45–50 minutes until the pudding is well risen, browned on top, and springy to the touch.

5.About ten minutes before the pudding is ready, start preparing the toffee sauce.

6. To make the toffee sauce: put the butter and sugar into a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Stir in the cream and walnuts and heat gently to warm through.

7. Cut the pudding into eight even-sized squares and transfer to serving plates. Spoon over the toffee sauce and serve at once.

Cook’s tip: Serve the toffee sauce with other hot or cold desserts, such as steamed puddings or ice cream.