Sticky toffee pudding

The cook

1. 01

   Step 1SORT THE FIRE

   Set up a lidded BBQ for indirect cooking at 180°C. On a kettle, bank the coals to one side and leave the other side clear. On a kamado, fit the heat deflector. You need enough fuel for around 45 minutes of steady baking once the BBQ is hot. Grease a 20 cm square metal cake tin, at least 5 cm deep, and line the base with baking parchment.

2. 02

   Step 2SOFTEN THE DATES

   Put the dates in a heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda — it will fizz a little. Leave for 10 minutes, then mash with a fork into a rough paste. Keep all the soaking liquid. That’s your sponge’s moisture, not something to tip down the sink.

3. 03

   Step 3BEAT THE BUTTER

   Beat the softened butter and muscovado sugar together for 3–4 minutes until lighter and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the treacle and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl so there are no buttery pockets hiding at the bottom.

4. 04

   Step 4MAKE THE BATTER

   Fold in the flour and measured salt until just combined, then fold through the warm date mixture and all its liquid. Stop once everything is evenly mixed. Overworking it gives you a tougher sponge, and nobody invited that. Scrape into the prepared tin and level the top.

5. 05

   Step 5BAKE WITH THE LID DOWN

   Place the tin on the cooking grate over the indirect zone, away from the coals or above the heat deflector. Close the lid and bake at 180°C for 35–40 minutes. On a kettle, rotate the tin after 25 minutes if the edge nearest the coals is colouring faster. It’s ready when the centre springs back gently and a skewer comes out without wet batter; a few moist date crumbs are fine. Allow another 5 minutes if needed.

6. 06

   Step 6GET THE SAUCE BUBBLING

   While the sponge bakes, put the sauce butter, sugar, cream and treacle in a saucepan on the hob or BBQ side burner over a low heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, then simmer gently for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until glossy and slightly thickened. Add salt to taste. Keep warm without boiling it hard.

7. 07

   Step 7SOAK AND REST

   Lift the tin off the BBQ onto a heatproof surface. Poke holes across the warm sponge with a skewer and slowly spoon over roughly a third of the warm sauce. Leave for 10 minutes so it soaks in and the sponge settles. Keep the remaining sauce warm, ready for pouring.

8. 08

   Step 8SPOON IT OUT

   Cut into eight generous portions and serve warm with the remaining toffee sauce. Add vanilla ice cream if you fancy it. Hot pudding, cold ice cream, sticky edges. That’s the finish.