Ingredients

Sponge
175g dried dates, stoned and chopped
150mL boiling water
1 tea bag
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g dark muscovado sugar
50g soft light brown sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g butter, softened
2 eggs, beaten
100mL milk
175g gluten free self-raising flour
Toffee sauce
75g butter
100g dark muscovado sugar
150mL double cream
To serve
optional: handful of chopped peanuts
optional: cream

Method

1 Put the dates in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water, add the tea bag and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Leave to soak for 10 mins.

2 Remove the tea bag and discard. Add the vanilla extract and mash the mixtrue with a fork

3 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20 cm (8-inch) square tin.

4 Beat together the butter and two types of sugar until smooth. Add in the eggs, followed by the milk and date mix, beating well each time (the mixture may split but will come together when you add the gluten free flour)

5 Sieve in the gluten free flour and gently fold.

6 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and risen

7 Place all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan while the pudding is cooking. Heat through until the sugar has dissolved, stirring often. Spoon half of the sauce over the cooked sponge as soon as it is removed from the oven, keeping the remaining sauce warm.

8 When the sponge has cooled slightly, cut the sponge into squares (it should get about 8 squares out the mix). Serve topped with some warm toffee sauce, a scattering of pecan nuts and some extra cream for good measure. Enjoy!