Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding

Why choose between chocolate sponge pudding and sticky toffee pudding when you can have both?! this is from Rachel Allen's Food for Living.

for 16-20 portions you need:
Cake:
100g dark chocolate, melted
150g pitted dates, blitzed
300ml water
100g butter
150g light soft brown sugar
3 eggs
225g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
1 tsp baking powder

For the sauce
275g golden syrup
225ml double cream
275g light soft brown sugar
100g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Place the dates in a saucepan and bring to the boil with the water. Simmer for 10 mins and leave to cool. Make the cake base in the usual fashion, adding the chocolate and dates last. Scrape in to a lined tin and bake at 160 for 45 mins or so.

Make the sauce by placing everything in to a pan and bringing to the boil. Boil rapidly for 4 mins then serve. Perfect winter fuel.