Serves four to six

Ingredients50g/2oz light muscovado sugar50g/2oz pecan nuts, chopped100g/4oz ready to eat, dried apricots, choppedPecan nut halves, to garnish

For the almond base75g/3oz butter or vegan margarine60ml/2fl oz maple syrup or soft brown sugar1 free range egg, beaten or 1tbsp soya flour mixed with 2 tbsp water75g/3oz ground almonds25g/1oz soya flour½ teaspoon baking powderFew drops vanilla essence For the toffee sauce200g/7oz light muscovado sugar90ml/3fl oz double cream or soya cream100g/4oz unsalted butter or vegan margarine½ teaspoon vanilla essence25g/1oz chopped pecan nuts

Method1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 42. To make the topping, mix all the sugar, chopped pecans and dried apricots together. Divide equally between 4 well-greased, individual ramekins.3. Cream the butter for the base with the maple syrup or sugar. Add the egg or soya flour paste and mix well. Stir in the almonds, soya flour, baking powder and vanilla essence.4. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins, place on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes5. To make the sauce: put the sugar in a saucepan and use a wooden spoon to crush any lumps. Add the cream and butter and stir together over a gentle heat until the butter has melted. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes until toffee-coloured. Remove from the heat, then stir in the vanilla essence and chopped pecans.

To serve: Turn each pudding out onto a serving plate. Decorate with pecan halves. Spoon a little toffee sauce around the puddings and serve immediately.Recipes created by the Cordon Vert Cookery School at The Vegetarian Society, Parkdale, Dunham Road, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 4QG, www.vegsoc.org.