Self Saucing Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 1 x Tetley Masala Chai tea bag
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 8 soft pitted dates
• 80g softened butter
• 1 heaped tablespoon molasses
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt

For the Sauce:

• ¾ cup of weak tea made with a Tetley Masala Chai tea bag
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 250ml cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a small square ovenproof dish. 
2. For the cake, boil the water in a saucepan with the tea bag. Once the water comes to a boil, remove the tea bag and add the bicarbonate of soda, stir then add the pitted dates and set aside, allowing the dates to soften and cool. Once cool, blend in a blender
3. In a cake mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and molasses for 5 minutes
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine (don’t worry, if the mixture looks split at this stage, it will come together when adding the dry ingredients)
5. Add the blended dates, flour, baking powder, and salt and gently fold until combined, being careful not to overmix. 
6. For the sauce: Add the sugar, cream, and tea to a saucepan, and on medium heat bring it to a boil. 
7. Pour the batter into the prepared dish then pour over the sauce and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick when inserted in the cake comes out clean. 
8. Serve warm with ice cream or cream.