Sticky Toffee Pudding

Name: Sticky Toffee Pudding
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: United Kingdom
Ingredients: 200 g (1⅓ cups) pitted dates, chopped, Medjool are softest; 250 ml (1 cup + 1 tbsp) boiling water; 5 g (1 tsp) baking soda; 75 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, soft, plus extra for the dish; 150 g (¾ cup packed) dark brown sugar; 2 large eggs (about 100 g without shells), at room temperature; 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract; 175 g (1½ cups) self-raising flour, or all-purpose + 8 g (2 tsp) baking powder; 1 pinch fine sea salt; 100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter; 175 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp packed) dark brown sugar; 300 ml (1¼ cups) heavy (double) cream, plus extra to serve; 15 g (2 tsp) black treacle or molasses, optional; 2 g (⅓ tsp) fine sea salt

Date sponge drenched in hot toffee sauce

Makes: 1 pudding (20 × 20 cm / 8 × 8 in)
Hands-on: 30 min
Total: 1 h 20 min
Level: Easy

A dark, soft sponge made with soaked dates, soaked again in buttery toffee sauce, served hot with cream or ice cream. The dates melt into the batter so it tastes rich and caramel-like without being heavy. It is a classic winter pudding, and it reheats very well.

Ingredients

Sponge

200 gpitted dates, chopped (1⅓ cups)Medjool are softest
250 mlboiling water (1 cup + 1 tbsp)
5 gbaking soda (1 tsp)
75 gunsalted butter, soft (5 tbsp)plus extra for the dish
150 gdark brown sugar (¾ cup packed)
2large eggs (about 100 g without shells)at room temperature
5 mlvanilla extract (1 tsp)
175 gself-raising flour (1½ cups)or all-purpose + 8 g (2 tsp) baking powder
1 pinchfine sea salt

Toffee sauce

100 gunsalted butter (7 tbsp)
175 gdark brown sugar (¾ cup + 2 tbsp packed)
300 mlheavy (double) cream (1¼ cups)plus extra to serve
15 gblack treacle or molasses (2 tsp)optional
2 gfine sea salt (⅓ tsp)

Diet: Vegetarian
Allergens: gluten, egg, milk
Origin: United Kingdom
Season: Autumn, Winter

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 20 cm (8 in) square baking dish.
Put the dates in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the baking soda (it will foam). Leave 10 minutes, then mash with a fork to a rough purée. 10 min
Beat the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until combined and lighter, 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. 3 min
Fold in the flour and salt, then the date mixture with all its liquid. The batter will be thin.
Pour into the dish and bake 30–35 minutes, until risen, springy and a skewer comes out clean. 33 min
While it bakes, make the sauce: melt the butter, sugar, 300 ml cream, treacle and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring. Bring to a boil and bubble 3–4 minutes, until thick, glossy and toffee-colored. 6 min
As soon as the pudding comes out, prick it all over with a skewer and pour over a third of the sauce. Leave 5 minutes to soak in. 5 min
Cut into squares and serve hot with the remaining sauce poured over and a little cold cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.

Why it works

Baking soda raises the pH of the soaking water, which breaks down the dates' skins and fibers so they dissolve into the batter rather than staying as chewy lumps, and it also darkens the sponge. Dark brown sugar's molasses gives deep caramel flavor and keeps the sponge moist. Pouring sauce over the hot cake lets it soak right in.

Common mistakes

Skipping the date soak; the pudding is lumpy and dry.
Boiling the sauce too briefly; it stays thin. Bubble it until it coats a spoon.
Letting it cool before adding sauce. It absorbs best straight from the oven.

Variations

Individual puddings: Bake in 8 buttered 150 ml pudding molds or muffin holes for 20–22 minutes, then turn out.
Spiced: Add 1 tsp ground ginger and ½ tsp mixed spice to the flour.

Make ahead and storage

Bake a day ahead, soak with a third of the sauce, cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat covered with foil at 160°C (320°F) for 20 minutes and warm the remaining sauce separately. Freezes well for 2 months.