Combine dried dates, baking soda and boiling water in a bowl and let sit for 10 minutes to soften.
Dry Ingredients
Blitz dried dates and brown sugar together until incorporated.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Add the soaking liquid from above, straining out dates.
Add two eggs, one-quarter cup of melted butter and one tablespoon of vanilla bean paste. Blitz to incorporate.
Add wet bowl to dry bowl, then stir in the soaked dates. Mix to make the batter.
Transfer batter to buttered ramekins. Place towel in a baking tray. Add hot water halfway up the sides of the ramekins, and cover with foil. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
Toffee Sauce
Melt the butter, sugar, and vanilla together in a saucepot. Then add the cream and allow to cook for three to four minutes on medium-low, or until thickened.
Serve
Spoon toffee sauce onto the sticky toffee puddings while still warm. Enjoy!