Sticky Toffee Pudding
Moist sponge cake made with dates, covered in a rich toffee sauce.
Details
Ingredients
- 200g dates, pitted and chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 cups flour
- Sauce:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- 1
Soak dates in boiling water with baking soda.
- 2
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, then flour, then date mixture.
- 3
Pour into baking dish. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30-35 mins.
- 4
Simmer sauce ingredients for 5 mins.
- 5
Poke holes in warm cake and pour sauce over.
- 6
Serve warm with ice cream.
About This Recipe
A culinary legend of modern British cuisine, Sticky Toffee Pudding transcends its humble ingredients to deliver an unparalleled experience of warmth and comfort. While its exact origins are debated, often attributed to the Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel in the Lake District in the 1970s, this dessert has firmly established itself as a national treasure. What makes it truly special is the ingenious combination of finely chopped dates, which lend an incredible natural sweetness and an almost impossibly moist texture to the sponge cake. The dates, typically hydrated with boiling water and a touch of baking soda, not only soften but also impart a subtle caramel note that permeates every bite of the cake. This dense, yet tender, base is then generously drenched in a rich, buttery toffee sauce, often made with brown sugar and heavy cream, that seeps into every crevice, creating an exquisite harmony of flavors and textures. Key techniques include ensuring the dates are thoroughly mashed for even distribution and emulsifying the toffee sauce correctly to achieve a smooth, glossy finish. While typically served warm with vanilla ice cream or clotted cream, variations might include a splash of whisky in the sauce or a sprinkle of sea salt to enhance the caramel notes. It’s a dessert that perfectly balances decadence with a comforting, home-cooked feel.
Tips & Tricks
- • To achieve the signature moistness, ensure your pitted dates are chopped very finely and thoroughly soaked in the boiling water with baking soda, mashing them well before incorporating into the batter to maximize their tenderizing effect.
- • For an extra layer of complexity in your toffee sauce, consider adding a tablespoon of dark rum or bourbon just after you've stirred in the heavy cream, allowing it to simmer briefly to marry the flavors.
- • Both the cake and the toffee sauce can be prepared a day or two in advance; store the cooled pudding in an airtight container at room temperature and the sauce refrigerated, then gently warm both before serving for optimal enjoyment.
- • Serve this indulgent pudding piping hot, allowing the rich toffee sauce to pool generously around the edges, ideally accompanied by a scoop of quality vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche to balance its sweetness.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (approximate)