Rich, sweet and sticky this is the most delicious of desserts, with toffee sauce soaked into and poured over a lovely cake.
The origins of Sticky Toffee Pudding seem to be in the UK in the 1970s. An article in The Guardian mentions a Mrs Martin, who may actually have got the recipe from a Canadian friend. Wherever the idea originated it is certainly the case that this dessert has become the firmest of favourites here in the UK. Almost everyone who ever tries it loves it so much.
I have made Sticky Toffee Pudding before, on my blog about 6 years ago, but at that time I wasn’t making videos. So I decided it was time to make it again, with a video this time.
The recipe is actually very easy indeed and it doesn’t take too long to make either. It is basically a cake and a sauce which are combined. The cake can be made in advance, perhaps the day before it is needed. The sauce can also be made in advance. In fact, I think if the cake is made the day before it helps a little with making it nice and sticky.
Dates, the fruit of the date palm, are used in the cake though, obviously, with the stones removed. They are chopped finely, though some people like to blitz them into a puree, and are then soaked in hot water and baking powder. Dates, being sweet and very sticky, give a great texture to the cake, which is then made more sticky by allowing some sauce to soak into it before serving.
Although my Sticky Toffee Pudding is made in an 8 inch square cake tin and then cut into portions for serving it is often made in individual moulds too. Either way works very well. I also have a recipe, which appeared on my blog years ago, for Sticky Toffee Muffins, which could be considered an individual variation.
Once the cake is baked I like to poke holes in the top, while it is still hot, and pour or brush some of my sauce over the top to allow it to seep into the cake. Some people then like to put it under the grill/broiler, to make the top even more sticky though I don’t believe that it necessary and, unless watched closely, can easily burn.
The cake is only part of it though, since the sauce stars as well. Sweet and rich it serves to complete the most delectable of desserts. Often the sticky toffee pudding is served with some ice cream. I have also seen some versions that recommend serving with custard. Personally I like the ice cream idea rather more, as the the toffee sauce is enough moisture without needing custard too.
Mine turned out very well indeed. The taste was wonderful, with the cake richly fruity, soft, light and slightly sticky which was complemented so well by the sauce.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Course: Cakes, DessertsCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy8
servings30
minutes25
minutesOne of the most popular British desserts, served in restaurants all over the world these days.
Ingredients
- For the cake
130g(3/4 cup) pitted dates, finely chopped
165g(1 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp, based on scooping packed flour into a 250ml cup) plain flour
2g (1/2 tsp) baking soda
180ml(3/4 cup) boiling water
3g(3/4 tsp) baking powder
1 .5 g(1/4 tsp) salt
75h(5 tbsp + 1 tsp) unsalted butter, softened
100g(1/2 cup) soft dark brown sugar
2 medium eggs(large in USA)
5 ml(1 tsp) vanilla extract
- For the sauce
160g(3/4 cu + 2 tsp) soft dark brown sugar
40g(2 tbsp) golden syrup (or corn syrup, or molasses/dark treacle)
80g(6 tbsp minus 1 tsp) unsalted butter
180ml(3/4 cup) double cream/heavy cream
1.5 g(1/4 tsp) salt
Directions
- Place the finely chopped dates into a bowl and sprinkle over the baking soda.
- Pour the boiling water over the dates and stir, then set aside to cool for a while.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350 F and grease an 8 inch/20 cm square cake tin.
- Place the softened butter and the 100g dark brown sugar into a large bowl and cream together until light and fluffy(I did this with my hand mixer, but manually is fine too, as is a stand mixer).
- Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until fully combined.
- Then add the vanilla extract as well and mix again.
- Put the salt and baking powder into the flour and stir around.
- Add the flour to the wet mixture and mix until combined.
- Pour the cooling dates, with the water as well, into the batter and mix again until everything is combined.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin. It will automatically spread and level to cover the base of the pan.
- Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the cake rises and feels firm to the touch on top. A skewer poked into the centre should come out clean.
- As the cake bakes place the sugar, butter, salt, cream and syrup into a saucepan and heat it, stirring all the time, until everything has dissolved into a viscous liquid and it begins to boil.
- Turn down the heat and simmer for two minutes.
- With the cake baked and removed from the oven poke holes all over the top.
- Gently pour 125ml(1/2 cup) of the sauce over the top of the cake and spread or brush all over.
- Allow the cake to cool a little before cutting into 8 portions, in the tin.
- To serve remove each portion to a plate and pour over a little of the remaining sauce.