Date pudding has been around forever, but it became very trendy when it acquired its sticky toffee topping, and it now pops up on menus everywhere.

It’s one of my all-time favourites.

(Serves 4-6)

200 g stoned dates, chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175 ml boiling water
100 g butter
120 g soft light brown sugar
2 tbsps black treacle
2 large eggs, beaten
180 g self-raising flour, sifted

For the sauce:
100 g butter
50 g sugar
1 tbsp black treacle
100 ml cream

Put the dates and bicarb into a bowl, pour on the boiling water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and generously butter a deep, round, 1½-litre baking dish and line the bottom with buttered greaseproof paper.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then stir in the treacle. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with each one, then fold in the rest of flour. Add the dates and soaking water, mix well and pour the mixture into the baking dish.

Stand the pudding on a baking tray and bake for about an hour until risen and firm to the touch.

While the pudding is cooking, put all the sauce ingredients into a pan, stir over low heat until the sugar and butter have dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer for two minutes.

Run a knife round the inside of the dish, turn the pudding out on to a warm serving dish and remove the round of paper. Stab the top of the pudding all over with a skewer and spoon over some of the sauce, letting it soak in. Cut the pudding into wedges and serve with the rest of the sauce and some whipped cream.