11/10/2026
Irish apples are in season and Sarah Butler is putting them to very good use ššā£
Soft cinnamon apples, sticky date sponge and plenty of homemade toffee sauce, all served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream šā£
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Ingredientsā£
For the applesā£
6 Royal Gala apples, peeled, cored and cut into small piecesā£
25 g light brown sugarā£
15 g butterā£
1 g ground cinnamonā£
Pinch of saltā£
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For the spongeā£
175 g pitted Medjool dates, choppedā£
180 ml warm milkā£
200 g light brown sugarā£
115 g butter, softenedā£
3 large eggsā£
5 ml vanilla extractā£
190 g plain flourā£
8 g baking powderā£
5 g bicarbonate of sodaā£
Pinch of saltā£
For the toffee sauceā£
240 ml double creamā£
200 g light brown sugarā£
115 g butterā£
2 g fine saltā£
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To serveā£
Vanilla ice cream, optionalā£
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Methodā£
Preheat oven to 190Ā°C / 170Ā°C fan / Gas 5. Grease and line a 23cm square tin.ā£
Cook apples with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and a pinch of salt for 8ā10 mins, until slightly softened. Set aside to cool.ā£
Soak dates in warm coffee for 10 mins.ā£
Beat brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Gently mix in the soaked dates and liquid.ā£
Combine flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Reserve Ā¼ of the apples for serving and toss the rest through the flour mixture.ā£
Fold into the wet mixture, spoon into the tin and bake for 30 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 5 mins, then turn out.ā£
For the sauce, melt brown sugar, butter and salt until bubbling. Add cream and cook for 8ā10 mins, stirring, until smooth and thickened.ā£
Brush the pudding with warm toffee sauce, cut into squares and serve with the reserved apples, extra sauce and vanilla ice cream.ā£
