Sticky Toffee Pudding – Serves 6 to 8.

2 cups pitted dates
1˝ cup apple juice
˝ cup dark rum
˝ tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Ľ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 cup dark brown sugar
ľ cup white sugar
1 stick softened butter
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-x-13-inch baking dish and set it aside.

2. In a saucepot, combine the dates, apple juice and rum and bring the mixture up to a boil.

3. Reduce the heat to medium high and continue to simmer the dates for 15 to 20 minutes or until the dates have become very tender.

4. Remove the date mixture from the heat and add in the baking soda. (The mixture will fizz up when you do this.) Stir the mixture well and set it aside.

5. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger and set it aside as well.

6. Place the cooled date mixture in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture is well pureed.

7. Using an electric mixer in a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

8. Add the eggs one at a time into the creamed butter and sugar, beating well after each one. Finally, stir in the vanilla. Note that the mixture will look a bit broken at this point.

9. Using a spatula, fold half the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and then half the date puree. Continue folding with the remaining flour and date mixture until all is well combined.

10. Pour the sticky toffee pudding batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. The pudding is done when an inserted toothpick comes out with a few wet crumbs attached. Serve warm with toffee sauce.

Serves 6 to 8.

1 stick butter
ľ cup brown sugar
Ľ cup Stein’s cane syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup heavy cream

1. In a medium saucepot, melt the butter.

2. Add in the brown sugar and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally.

3. Stir in the cane syrup, vanilla and cream. Continue to simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken and coat the back of the spoon.

4. Remove the sauce from the heat and allow it to cool a bit. Serve the sauce warm over the warm pudding.