Sticky Toffee Sauce

A proper sticky toffee sauce is glossy, mahogany, and pourable but with body — coats the back of a spoon, doesn't pool to water. The starting point is dark muscovado sugar dissolved into butter and double cream over low heat; once it's smooth, raise the heat to bring it to a simmer for a few minutes until it tightens. Common pitfalls: stirring before the sugar dissolves, which crystallises the whole thing; cooking too hard, which splits the fat from the sugar; or panicking and adding extra cream, which dilutes the colour and flavour. If the sauce splits, take off the heat, add a splash of cold cream and whisk vigorously.