Jamie Oliver’s Chai Sticky Date Pudding With Toffee Sauce

Dates are sweet, full of texture and really versatile. As we work our way through winter, why not create that homely, rustic feeling with this date and toffee pudding. It’s warm, tasty and reassuring and won’t cost you the earth!

Serves 6

150g unsalted butter (at room temperature), plus extra for greasing
500g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
500g dried pitted dates
1 orange
2 chai tea bags
20g of bicarbonate of soda
350g dark brown sugar
5 large free-range eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50g golden syrup
75g black treacle

For the toffee sauce:

125g double cream
50g unsalted butter
50g dark brown sugar
30g golden syrup
1 lug of brandy

1   Preheat the oven to 160°C and place a tray of water in the bottom (this creates steam to keep the pudding moist), then butter and flour a 25cm tin. Now chop the pitted dates and zest the orange.

2   Boil 400ml of water, turn the heat off, then add the tea bags and infuse for 3 minutes. Boil again, whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and add the dates. Leave to one side to cool to room temperature.

3   Next, cream the butter and sugar in a food processor until light and fluffy. Now whisk the eggs, vanilla, orange zest, golden syrup and treacle and pour into the butter mixture in stages, beating until smooth each time. Sieve the flour and fold gently into the batter. Stir in the date mixture, then pour into a Bundt tin.

4   Bake for one hour, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes.

5   Pop all the sauce ingredients in a small pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring, then remove from the heat.

6   Finally, invert the pudding onto a platter and baste with a little of the sauce. Serve with clotted cream and the remaining sauce on the side.