This Sticky Toffee Pudding is a traditional British dessert that’s rich, indulgent, and perfect for any occasion. The pudding has a moist sponge-like texture, thanks to the dates, and is served drenched in a warm, luscious toffee sauce. It’s a comforting and decadent treat, especially when paired with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Perfect for the holidays or as a special dessert any time of year!
Full Recipe:
Ingredients
For the Toffee Sauce:
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2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
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½ cup (99 g) dark brown sugar
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2 ½ tablespoons golden syrup or molasses
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Pinch of salt
For the Pudding:
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6 ounces (170 g) pitted dates, chopped
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1 cup (240 ml) water
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1 teaspoon baking soda
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1 ¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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½ teaspoon fine sea salt
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4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter
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¾ cup (149 g) granulated sugar
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2 eggs, at room temperature
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
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Preheat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8 ½-inch porcelain soufflé dish (or a similar-sized baking dish).
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Make the Toffee Sauce: In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, dark brown sugar, golden syrup (or molasses), and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Once the sugar has melted, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened. Pour half of the sauce into the prepared soufflé dish and place the dish in the freezer. Set the remaining sauce aside for later.
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Prepare the Date Mixture: In a medium saucepan, bring the chopped dates and water to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in the baking soda, and set aside to cool slightly.
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Make the Pudding Batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, beating until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture, followed by the date mixture, and mix until just combined (avoid overmixing).
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Bake the Pudding: Pour the batter over the toffee sauce in the soufflé dish. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
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Cool and Serve: Let the pudding cool slightly before serving. Spoon portions of the cake into bowls and pour the remaining toffee sauce over the top. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Nutrients (per serving)
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Calories: 731 kcal
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Carbohydrates: 92g
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Protein: 6g
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Fat: 38g
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Saturated Fat: 23g
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Cholesterol: 183mg
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Sodium: 437mg
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Potassium: 360mg
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Fiber: 2g
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Sugar: 67g
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Vitamin A: 1480 IU
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Vitamin C: 0.5mg
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Calcium: 108mg
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Iron: 1.9mg
The Perfect Toffee Sauce
The toffee sauce is the crowning touch of this dessert. It’s made from a combination of heavy cream, dark brown sugar, golden syrup (or molasses), and a pinch of salt, which creates a rich, velvety sauce with deep caramel notes. This sauce is poured into the soufflé dish before the pudding batter is added, allowing the cake to soak up the toffee while it bakes. The result is a moist pudding that’s infused with the toffee flavor throughout.
The golden syrup or molasses adds a unique, rich sweetness that elevates the sauce and makes it distinctively flavorful. While it may seem like an extra step, the toffee sauce is essential for the authentic sticky toffee pudding experience. When served warm, it adds an irresistible gooey richness to the dessert.
The Date-Infused Pudding
The pudding itself is made with chopped dates, which contribute both flavor and moisture. Dates are naturally sweet and rich, which makes them a perfect addition to this dessert. When combined with water and baking soda, the dates soften and break down, creating a soft, velvety batter for the pudding. This date mixture forms the base of the cake, giving it a unique flavor and texture that’s different from other types of sponge cakes.
The baking soda helps to activate the acidity of the dates, creating a light, fluffy texture in the batter. Combined with all-purpose flour, baking powder, butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, the result is a tender, flavorful cake that soaks up the toffee sauce beautifully as it bakes.
Baking the Pudding
The pudding is baked in a soufflé dish (or any similar-sized baking dish) at 350°F (180°C) for 50 minutes. As the pudding bakes, it rises slightly, turning golden brown on top while the toffee sauce on the bottom infuses the cake with a rich sweetness. The beauty of Sticky Toffee Pudding is that the cake remains moist and soft even after baking, while the sauce thickens and caramelizes to create a sticky, gooey texture.
It’s important to check the doneness of the pudding by inserting a toothpick into the center—when it comes out with moist crumbs attached, the pudding is ready. Be careful not to overbake, as you want the cake to remain soft and soaked in toffee sauce.
Cooling and Serving
After baking, the pudding should be allowed to cool slightly before serving. This gives the toffee sauce time to settle into the cake and ensures that the dessert retains its rich, moist texture. When serving, spoon portions of the cake into bowls and generously pour the remaining toffee sauce over the top.
Sticky Toffee Pudding is often served with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to balance the richness of the cake and sauce. The coolness of the cream or ice cream contrasts perfectly with the warm, gooey pudding, creating a delicious balance of flavors.
Nutritional Information
Sticky Toffee Pudding is undeniably rich and indulgent, and each serving packs around 731 calories. This dessert is high in carbohydrates (92g), making it a filling and satisfying treat. The cake itself contains 38g of fat, including 23g of saturated fat, primarily from the butter and heavy cream. While it’s not the lightest dessert, it’s important to remember that Sticky Toffee Pudding is meant to be a special treat, perfect for indulgence on occasion.
With 6g of protein, the pudding offers some balance to the sweetness from the sugar (67g) and carbohydrates, and the 2g of fiber from the dates adds a small nutritional boost. The dessert also provides vitamin A (1480 IU), a small amount of vitamin C, calcium, and iron, all of which contribute to the dessert’s nutritional profile.
Customizing the Recipe
Sticky Toffee Pudding is already a delicious and satisfying dessert, but you can customize it to suit your preferences. For an extra kick, consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or ginger to the batter for added warmth and spice. You can also experiment with using dark brown sugar or a combination of brown and white sugars to adjust the sweetness and richness of the pudding.
For those looking to reduce sugar or fat content, you could try substituting some of the butter with a healthier fat like coconut oil or using a sugar substitute like stevia. If you want to make the dish dairy-free, you could use dairy-free butter and coconut milk instead of heavy cream for the toffee sauce.
For a different flavor profile, you can swap out some of the dates for figs or prunes to experiment with unique variations of this classic British dessert.
Conclusion
Sticky Toffee Pudding is a delightful, comforting, and indulgent dessert that has earned its place as a classic British treat. The combination of a moist, date-infused sponge cake, warm toffee sauce, and creamy whipped cream or ice cream makes for an unforgettable dessert experience. Whether you’re celebrating the holidays or simply treating yourself to something special, this dessert is sure to satisfy your cravings for something rich, sweet, and comforting. With its ease of preparation and impressive presentation, Sticky Toffee Pudding is the perfect dessert for any occasion.