Christmas sticky toffee pudding

1. Preheat the oven to 160˚C, gas mark 3. Grease a 1.2 litre ovenproof pudding basin and line the base with a circle of baking parchment. Put the dates, brandy and 175ml water in a pan, bring to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a little, until a thick paste has formed; set aside.

2. Put the butter, sugar, vanilla, honey and clementine zest (reserve the juice for the sauce) in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition until combined. In another bowl, mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and a pinch of salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and fold in, then gently stir in the date purèe and grated apple until combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding basin, smooth the top and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the pudding comes out almost clean, covering with foil after 30 minutes if browning too quickly. Leave in the basin, on a cooling rack, while you prepare the sauce.

3. Line a baking tray with parchment. Put the sugar in a frying pan over a medium heat. Heat to dissolve and then until bubbling and golden; do not stir. Take off the heat, swirl in the clementine segments and, when completely coated, use a slotted spoon to lift them out onto the prepared baking tray; set aside. Carefully add the butter, cream and reserved clementine juice to the caramel residue in the pan, return to the heat, bring to a simmer and stir together to make a toffee sauce. Add the salt and brandy, then take off the heat. 

4. To serve, turn the pudding out onto a serving plate. Spoon over some of the sauce and decorate the top with the caramelised clementine segments. Serve with the remaining sauce and cream or ice cream, if liked.