Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

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So I may be biased when I say that this is the best sticky toffee pudding recipe! You may not agree, but you may also find yourself coming back for more, such is the draw of this recipe. We cannot resist it!

Personally, I believe a good sticky toffee pudding recipe makes a light, spongy and not-too-sweet pudding with a sticky, treacly and toffee flavoured sauce for drizzling. This recipe ticks all the boxes and somehow manages to always make it into our festive pudding rotation. Really, this pudding can be enjoyed at any time of year, but something about its sweet stickiness makes it particularly fitting for the festive season.

Where the first sticky toffee pudding recipe originated is disputed, with two pubs both claiming to have invented the classic British dessert. Regardless of its origins, it's clear the pudding is very popular around the world, and it regularly makes an appearance on pub menus.

Sticky toffee pudding can be stored at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to four days after baking.

Here's what you'll need to make this sticky toffee pudding recipe:
(Click here to jump straight to the recipe)

For the pudding:
200g Medjool dates, stones removed and finely chopped
200ml freshly boiled water
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
50g light muscovado (brown) sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp black treacle
150g plain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

For the sauce:
100g unsalted butter, softened
300g dark muscovado (brown) sugar
1 Tbsp black treacle
250ml double cream

And here's what you'll need to do:

• Weigh the butter into a mixing bowl - cutting it into smaller pieces will help it to warm up faster. Allow the eggs to warm up to room temperature.
• Grease a 23cm (9in) square dish. Remove the stones from the dates, and chop them into small pieces, placing them into a bowl.
• Pour the freshly boiled water over the dates, and leave for about 30 minutes to soak.
• Add the vanilla extract, and stir together with a fork whilst mashing the dates.
• Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) / 160C Fan.

• Using an electric or stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition.
• Mix in the black treacle. The mixture might start to look a bit curdled at this stage, but don't worry, it will be fine!

• Combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and stir it into the wet ingredients with a metal spoon until the batter is thick and smooth.
• Add the dates and any excess liquid, and stir through until combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared dish, and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until a tester skewer comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce.

• Melt the butter, sugar and half the double cream together in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Add the black treacle, and allow it to bubble for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring regularly to make sure it doesn't burn.
• Take the pan off the heat, and stir through the remainder of the double cream.

• When the pudding is done baking, remove it from the oven. Use a cocktail stick to prick it all over and cut it into slices.
• Pour about 1/4 to 1/3 of the sauce over the pudding, using a spatula to help ease it down the sides of the pudding and in between the slices.
• If you'd like to serve it now, you certainly can, with a bit of extra sauce drizzled over each slice and some vanilla ice cream on the side, if you like.
• However, if you'd like a richer and stickier pudding, cover it with aluminium foil, once it has cooled, and leave it overnight or for up two do days. Reheat when ready to serve, loosely covered with foil, at 180C (355F) / 160C Fan for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Cover the sauce as well, and reheat it gently over over a low flame before serving.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

By Wendy | Serves 4

This sticky toffee pudding recipe is so good that you might just find yourself coming back for more!

Prep Time: 20 minutes plus time to soak
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 1 23cm square pudding
Course: Pudding, Snack
Cuisine: British
Tags: Dessert, Festive Baking

Ingredients

For the pudding:
200g Medjool dates, stones removed and finely chopped
200ml freshly boiled water
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
50g light muscovado (brown) sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp black treacle
150g plain flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

For the sauce:
100g unsalted butter, softened
300g dark muscovado (brown) sugar
1 Tbsp black treacle
250ml double cream

Method

1. Weigh the butter into a mixing bowl - cutting it into smaller pieces will help it to warm up faster. Allow the eggs to warm up to room temperature.
2. Grease a 23cm (9in) square dish. Remove the stones from the dates, and chop them into small pieces, placing them into a bowl.
3. Pour the freshly boiled water over the dates, and leave for about 30 minutes to soak.
4. Add the vanilla extract, and stir together with a fork whilst mashing the dates.
5. Preheat the oven to 180C (355F) / 160C Fan.
6. Using an electric or stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
7. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing to incorporate after each addition.
8. Mix in the black treacle. The mixture might start to look a bit curdled at this stage, but don't worry, it will be fine!
9. Combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and stir it into the wet ingredients with a metal spoon until the batter is thick and smooth.
10. Add the dates and any excess liquid, and stir through until combined.
11. Pour the batter into the prepared dish, and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until a tester skewer comes out clean.
12. Meanwhile, make the sauce.
13. Melt the butter, sugar and half the double cream together in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine.
14. Add the black treacle, and allow it to bubble for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring regularly to make sure it doesn't burn.
15. Take the pan off the heat, and stir through the remainder of the double cream.
16. When the pudding is done baking, remove it from the oven. Use a cocktail stick to prick it all over and cut it into slices.
17. Pour about 1/4 to 1/3 of the sauce over the pudding, using a spatula to help ease it down the sides of the pudding and in between the slices.
18. If you'd like to serve it now, you certainly can, with a bit of extra sauce drizzled over each slice and some vanilla ice cream on the side, if you like.
19. However, if you'd like a richer and stickier pudding, cover it with aluminium foil, once it has cooled, and leave it overnight or for up two do days. Reheat when ready to serve, loosely covered with foil, at 180C (355F) / 160C Fan for 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling. Cover the sauce as well, and reheat it gently over over a low flame before serving.

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