1. Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan.
2. Chop the dates into small chunks and pop them into a bowl. Pour over boiling water, stir in the bicarbonate of soda, and leave for 10 minutes to soften and sweeten. Give them a light mash — a little texture is part of the magic.
3. Meanwhile, grease 6–8 pudding moulds. Cream the butter, peanut butter, and both sugars together until light, fluffy, and irresistible. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
4. Give the dates a light mash (a little texture is part of the magic), then drain before folding them into the cake mixture. Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt, then gently fold until just combined.
5. Divide the mixture between the moulds and smooth the tops. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until risen, springy, and just set.
6. While they bake, make the all-important peanut butter toffee sauce. Melt the butter and sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring, until thick and glossy. Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter, vanilla, and salt to taste, for the ultimate salted-caramel hit.
7. Pour one-third of the hot sauce over the puddings and return them to the oven for 5 minutes, letting the sauce soak in and work its magic.
8. Serve warm, with lashings of extra sauce poured over and enjoy!
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