We call dates “nature’s candy” for a reason! They are quite sweet, so for those looking to cut that down, dried apricots are a great swap. Storing: The pudding can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make-Ahead: Do not add half of the toffee to the pan, and instead bake the cake on its own. While it is still hot, poke holes in the cake and drizzle half of the toffee over. When it is cooled, cover the pudding with plastic wrap. Store the rest of the toffee in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Combine the 100g / ½ cup of dark muscovado sugar with the flour in a large bowl. Pour the milk into a measuring jug, beat in the egg, vanilla and melted butter and then pour this mixture over the sugar and flour, stirring — just with a wooden spoon — to combine. Fold in the dates then scrape into the prepared pudding dish. Don't worry if it doesn't look very full: it will do by the time it cooks. Cream together the butter and sugars in a bowl until very soft and fluffy. Add the eggs, one a time, adding a heaped tablespoon of flour with each addition, then add the rest of the flour.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/gas mark 5/375ºF and butter a 1½ litre / 6 cups capacity pudding dish. Raspberry Ripple Flavour White Hot Chocolate: Sugar, Cocoa Butter (15%), Skimmed Milk Powder, Dextrose, Colour: E162 (Beetroot Red), Flavourings, Salt, Whey Powder ( Milk), Emulsifier: E450 (Diphosphates). Making ahead: Make the pudding up to 2 days ahead, keep covered in the fridge. Warm in a hot oven and serve.

This is what I thought about Caffè Nero's new festive range 

That's not to say this panini didn't embody the festive spirit as the pork sausages wrapped in bacon reminded me of those oh-so-popular Christmas sides. Format: Powder - we recommend making it with hot milk (or yourpreferred milk alternative) rather than water for the ultimate smooth, creamy cup. Find out how to make the perfect hot chocolate here. Pour half of the toffee mixture into the greased base of the baking dish. Place the dish in the freezer, and set the other half aside. PS: have you ever replaced white granular sugar with brown sugar in the cake batter? Or used lesser amount of sugar since the topping is already so sweet..

While the texture was smooth and the buttery biscuit base complimented the rest of the cake, it didn't feel as festive as the other menu items which appeared more indulgent. Begin making the pudding by heating the dates and water in a medium saucepan. Once water is boiling, remove it from the heat and stir in the baking soda. You want to set this aside but keep it on very low heat. Looking for smaller portions? Use smaller ramekins to make single-serving puddings. Your cook time will be closer to 30-40 minutes! In a standing mixer bowl, or in a large bowl (and using a hand mixer), you will beat the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Then, you will beat in the eggs and vanilla. NOTE: Here, you may see things looking a bit clumpy – that’s normal! Some puddings are prepared in Bundt cake pans, while others are in a standard baking dish. In this one, I recommend an 8-½ inch porcelain soufflé dish (this has about a 2-quart capacity); its tall sides keep the pudding crunchy and rich. A similar-sized baking dish would also work, but a porcelain option is the best in terms of the way it conducts heat and produces a crusty exterior and super moist interior.Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Butter an ovenproof dish – either a large traditional oval one or a brownie tin of around 20x30cm/8x12in. Freezing: Separate the pudding into individual servings and wrap each serving tightly with plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe resealable bag for up to 3 months.