Madeleine Shaw’s Gluten-free and dairy-free sticky toffee puddings

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Put the just-boiled water and dates in a saucepan over a medium heat and simmer for 4 minutes. Whizz the dates and liquid in the food processor for 2 minutes, then add the eggs and oil then blitz again. Gently fold in the ground almonds, baking powder, salt and spices until fully combined.

2. Grease 8 175ml pudding moulds. Equally divide the mixture and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until just cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before turning out.

3. For the custard, heat the almond milk, honey and vanilla in a small saucepan over a medium to high heat. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl, then pour the contents of the pan (just before it boils) over the top and whisk well. When everything is combined, pour it back into the pan over a low heat. Keep whisking until the custard thickens a little. Remove it from the heat and put it back into the bowl to cool.

4. For the toffee sauce, soak the dates in 200ml boiling water and leave for 2-3 minutes.  Puree the dates including the liquid with the coconut oil or butter with a stick blender.

5. Remove the puddings from the pudding moulds. If they don’t sit level on the plate, slice across the top of the pudding then upturn onto the plate.

6. Warm up the toffee sauce, pour it over the puddings followed by the custard, top some of the pecans, a dusting of cinnamon and the crumbled pudding offcuts if you have any.