From Peckish: Sticky Toffee Pudding with Miso Butterscotch

Ingredients

• For the Sticky Toffee Pudding
• 200g dates, roughly chopped
• 160ml water
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 80g unsalted butter, softened
• 120g demerara sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 2 tsp black treacle
• 160g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• For the Miso Butterscotch
• 120g unsalted butter
• 180g dark brown soft sugar
• 300ml double cream
• 20g black treacle
• 15g white miso
• 1–2 tsp balsamic vinegar, to taste
• To Serve
• 300g clotted cream

Method

1. Heat the oven to 170°C and generously butter a baking dish suitable for six.
2. Put the dates, water and vanilla into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 5 minutes, until the dates are very soft. Blitz to a coarse purée and leave to cool slightly.
3. Beat the butter and demerara sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs gradually, followed by the black treacle.
4. Fold in the flour and bicarbonate of soda, followed by the warm date purée. Spoon into the prepared dish and bake for approximately 25–30 minutes, until well risen and just cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, make the butterscotch. Melt the butter and dark brown sugar together in a saucepan and cook for 2–3 minutes. Gradually stir in the cream, add the treacle and simmer gently for another 3–4 minutes, until smooth and glossy.
6. Take off the heat and whisk in the miso. Add a dash of balsamic vinegar and taste. You're looking for a salty, slightly sharp edge that cuts through the sweetness without the sauce obviously tasting of either miso or vinegar.
7. When the pudding comes out of the oven, spoon over a little of the hot butterscotch and leave it to soak in for a few minutes.
8. Bring the whole pudding to the table with the remaining hot butterscotch and a generous bowl of cold clotted cream alongside.