Original Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
This original sticky toffee pudding recipe tastes like winter. It's a hug in a bowl, with dates, caramel notes from demerara sugar, and buttery sauce, all topped with creamy custard. It's the ultimate comfort food!
Ingredients
For the Pudding:
- 225 g Medjool dates pitted and chopped
- 175 ml boiling water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175 g self-raising flour plus extra for greasing
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 eggs
- 85 g butter softened, plus extra for greasing
- 140 g demerara sugar
- 2 tbsp black treacle
- 100 ml milk
- Cream or custard for serving optional
For the Toffee Sauce:
- 175 g light muscovado sugar
- 50 g butter cut into pieces
- 225 ml double cream
- 1 tbsp black treacle
Instructions
- Place the chopped dates in a bowl, pour over boiling water, and let them soak for 30 minutes. Mash with a fork or blend and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Grease and flour seven 7 mini pudding tins (200ml each) or baking tin and preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C/gas 4).
- Combine the flour and bicarbonate of soda.
- Beat the softened butter and demerara sugar until slightly creamy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the black treacle, then alternate folding in the flour mixture and milk until everything is incorporated.
- Stir in the soaked dates. The batter will be thick and soft.
- Spoon the batter into the tins or large baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until firm.
For the Sauce
- In a saucepan, melt the muscovado sugar and butter with half the cream, stirring until dissolved. Add the black treacle and let it bubble for 2-3 minutes until it reaches a rich toffee color. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining cream.
For Serving
- Let the puddings cool in the tins before turning out. Serve with the sauce drizzled over, or for a stickier pudding, coat them in sauce and let them sit for a day or two. Reheat before serving.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
The puddings can be frozen with some of the sauce for later enjoyment.- Cooking Notes:
- Don’t Overmix: Avoid a dense cake by folding gently.
- Serving:
- Serve Warm: Enhances the flavors and sauce absorption.
- Storing:
- Store Well: Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for 3 days.
- Freeze & Reheat: Freeze up to a month; reheat at 180°C.
- Medjool Dates: Adds chewiness; sub with raisins.
- Boiling Water: Softens dates;
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor; sub with vanilla bean.
- Self-raising Flour: Provides lift; sub with flour + baking powder.
- Bicarb Soda: Aids in raising;
- Eggs: Binds ingredients; sub with flax eggs.
- Butter: Rich flavor; sub with 3/4 olive.
- Demerara Sugar: Caramel notes; sub with brown sugar.
- Black Treacle: Deepens flavor; sub with molasses.
- Milk: Moisture; sub with plant-based milk.
- Muscovado Sugar: Rich sweetness; sub with brown sugar.
- Double Cream: Creamy sauce; sub with plant-based cream.