Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 33cm x 25cm baking tray with baking paper and rub the sides with oil.

Finely dice the dates and pop them into a pan. Cover with 400ml of boiling water and the bicarbonate of soda. Bring this to a boil on high and cook for 5 mins until the dates have softened and it looks like a paste.

Chop the chocolate into large chunks and melt 100g in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time stirring in between until it’s fully melted.

In a large bowl add in the plain flour and sift in the cocoa powder and baking powder. Crack in the eggs, along with the vegetable oil, dates, vanilla bean paste, light brown sugar, milk and melted chocolate. Whisk together until it’s all combined.

Fold in the chocolate chunks and pour this lined baking tray.

Bake for 25-30 mins until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make the sticky toffee sauce. Melt the butter and light brown sugar in a saucepan and cook for 5 mins until it starts to caramelise and brown. Gently pour in the double cream and mix well. Season with ½ tsp flakey sea salt and keep warm.

When the cake is cooked, allow it to cool for 10 mins and then slice into pieces. Serve with the toffee sauce and more sea salt.