Sticky Toffee Pudding

Before you start

Sticky toffee pudding is a British dessert of moist date sponge covered in hot toffee sauce. The dates are soaked in boiling water with baking soda, which softens their skins and darkens the batter, and they melt into the cake so you taste their caramel flavor rather than finding chunks. The sponge is light but sturdy enough to absorb a generous pour of sauce.

The sauce makes the pudding. It should be thick, glossy and deeply caramel-flavored, made from butter, dark brown sugar and cream simmered until it coats a spoon. Pour some over the warm cake straight from the oven so it soaks in, and serve the rest on the side. Serve it warm, with ice cream, whipped cream or custard to balance the sweetness.

Ingredients

• Date sponge200 g (1¼ cups) pitted dates — chopped; Medjool or Deglet Noor
• 240 ml (1 cup) boiling water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 175 g (1⅓ cups + 1 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter — softened
• 150 g (¾ cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs — room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Toffee sauce115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter
• 200 g (1 cup packed) dark brown sugar
• 240 ml (1 cup) heavy cream
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 1 tbsp black treacle or molasses — optional, for a deeper flavor

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease the pan and line it with parchment. Put the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl, pour in the boiling water, stir in the baking soda and leave for 10 minutes. The mixture will foam and the dates will soften.
2. Mash the dates roughly with a fork, or blend them with their liquid for a smoother sponge. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. Beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined and lighter. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
4. Add the flour mixture on low speed, then stir in the date mixture. The batter will be loose.
5. Pour into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is dark golden, springs back when pressed and a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, cream, salt and treacle and bring to a boil, stirring. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats a spoon.
7. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, poke holes all over it with a skewer. Pour about one-third of the sauce over the top and let it soak in for 10 minutes.
8. Cut into 9 squares and serve warm with the remaining sauce poured over, and ice cream or softly whipped cream.

Tips for success

• Dark brown sugar in both the cake and sauce gives the deep toffee flavor; light brown sugar works but tastes milder.
• Make the sauce up to 5 days ahead and rewarm it gently before using.
• For individual puddings, bake in 9 buttered 180 ml ramekins for 18 to 22 minutes.

Substitutions

Dates

Use dried figs or prunes for a less sweet, fruitier pudding. Soak them the same way.

Heavy cream in the sauce

Coconut cream makes a dairy-free sauce with a light coconut flavor. Use plant-based butter as well.

All-purpose flour

Self-rising flour works; omit the baking powder and salt.

Variations

Ginger toffee pudding

Add 1 tsp ground ginger to the flour and fold 40 g chopped crystallized ginger into the batter.

Troubleshooting

Sauce is thin and runny

It needed a longer simmer. Boil gently for a few more minutes until it coats a spoon; it thickens further as it cools.

Sponge is dense and wet

It was underbaked, or the soaking water was measured loosely and the batter was too wet. Measure the water exactly and bake until springy and a toothpick comes out clean.

Sauce separated and looks greasy

It boiled too hard. Whisk in a spoonful of hot cream off the heat until it comes back together.

Storage

Cover and refrigerate the pudding and sauce separately for up to 4 days. Rewarm individual portions in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds with a spoonful of sauce. The baked sponge freezes well for up to 2 months.

Safety notes

Do not taste the raw batter; it contains raw egg and flour. Contains wheat, egg and milk.