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Sticky toffee pudding
Date sponge drenched in hot toffee sauce
BritishSticky toffee pudding was made famous by a country hotel and a village shop in the Lake District, and Cumbria still claims it, though it now ends Sunday lunch in pubs across Britain. A soft, dark sponge made with soaked dates is soaked in a buttery brown-sugar sauce and served with more sauce, plus cream, custard or vanilla ice cream. Chef's tip: poke holes in the hot sponge and pour on a third of the sauce, so it soaks right in.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 7 oz pitted dateschopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 ⅝ oz buttersoft
- 5 ½ oz light muscovado sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 oz self-raising flour
For the toffee sauce
- 3 ½ oz butter
- 5 ½ oz dark muscovado sugar
- 1 cup double cream
- 1 pinch salt
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and butter a 20 × 25 cm baking dish. Pour the 1 cup boiling water over the 7 oz pitted dates and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and leave for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Beat the 2 ⅝ oz butter and 5 ½ oz light muscovado sugar until fluffy, then beat in the 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Fold in the 6 oz self-raising flour, then the dates and their liquid. The batter is very runny; that is right.
5 minStep 3: Pour into the dish and bake for 30–35 minutes until risen and springy and a skewer comes out clean.
35 minStep 4: Meanwhile melt the 3 ½ oz butter and 5 ½ oz dark muscovado sugar in a pan, add the 1 cup double cream and 1 pinch salt and bubble for 3 minutes until glossy and toffee-coloured.
5 minStep 5: Prick the hot sponge all over with a skewer and pour over a third of the sauce. A common mistake is serving it at once; leave 5 minutes so it soaks in.
5 minStep 6: Cut into squares and serve with the rest of the warm sauce.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sticky toffee pudding take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of bicarbonate of soda?
- Baking powder, three times the amount (the bake may taste slightly different).
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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