Description
Moist, date-filled sponge cake drenched in a rich, buttery toffee sauce a classic British dessert!
Ingredients
Scale
- 175g (6oz) pitted dates, roughly chopped
- 280ml (1 cup + 3 tablespoons) boiling water
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 50g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 175g (3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 175g (1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
- 100g (1/2 cup) light brown sugar
- 280ml (1 cup + 3 tablespoons) double cream (heavy cream)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt (optional, but recommended)
Instructions
- Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over them and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. The mixture will fizz up a bit, which is perfectly normal. Let this sit for about 20-30 minutes to soften the dates.
- While the dates are soaking, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour a 1.5-liter (6-cup) baking dish. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a tablespoon of flour from the measured amount to help bring it back together.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the self-raising flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, alternating with the date mixture. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Using an immersion blender (or carefully transferring to a regular blender), blend the date mixture until smooth.
- Gently fold the blended date mixture into the batter until everything is evenly combined. The batter should be quite wet.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the pudding should be golden brown and springy to the touch. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely cover it with foil.
- Let the pudding cool in the baking dish for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
- While the pudding is baking, prepare the toffee sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and light brown sugar over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Gradually pour in the double cream (heavy cream), stirring constantly. Be careful, as the mixture may bubble up when you add the cream.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened slightly. The sauce should be able to coat the back of a spoon. Don’t overcook it, as it will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt (if using).
- While the pudding is still warm, poke holes all over the surface with a skewer or fork.
- Pour about half of the toffee sauce over the pudding, making sure to get it into all the holes. Reserve the remaining sauce for serving.
- Serve the sticky toffee pudding warm, with a generous drizzle of the reserved toffee sauce. You can also serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a custard.
- Leftover sticky toffee pudding can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or oven before serving. The toffee sauce can also be stored separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat gently before serving.
Notes
- Medjool dates are the best for this recipe.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Poke holes in the pudding before pouring the sauce to allow it to soak in.
- Serve warm for the best flavor and texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes