I don’t consider myself to be much of a dessert person but if there is one item I simply can’t resist on any menu it is Sticky Toffee Pudding. Devilish sweet and decadent it puts me on a sugar high and a huge grin is plastered on my face for the rest of the day. It makes me happy! In restaurants I’ve had mediocre puddings as well as very good ones, and hands down the best store bought product is Cartmel’s. It was only a matter of time for me to start tinkering in the kitchen.
After some “failed” attempts (no flops, but the desserts lacked the “oomph” factor, I came across Ed Baines’ Best of British cookbook, which I’ll be reviewing in the next few weeks. There was no question whether I was going to prepare this recipe. It was a done deal.
One ingredient that I never cooked with before was black treacle. It had a familiar taste. Suddenly I remembered where I tasted something similar. It was back in the good old days when I made caramel and ended up burning the sugar. Yep, that’s right. Burnt sugar. It’s used mostly in puddings to give them dark and rich flavours.
The result was divine. It just is a perfect recipe.
Aah… at last… my life is complete.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
the sponge
- 100g (3½oz) chopped dates
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) vanilla extract
- 35g (1oz) softened butter, plus extra for greasing
- 65g (2oz) Demerara sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 5ml (1 tsp) black treacle
- 75g (2½oz) self-raising flour
- 2.5ml ((½ tsp) bicarbonate of soda
- 60ml (4 tbsp) milk
the sauce
- 25g (1 oz) butter
- 75g (5 tbsp) dark soft brown sugar
- 120ml (4fl oz) double [heavy] cream
- 15ml (1 tbsp) black treacle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4.
- In a small bowl, soak the dates with the vanilla extract in 100ml () boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and mash.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix egg into the butter mixture, then beat in the treacle.
- Fold in one third of the flour and all the bicarbonate of soda. Add half the milk and repeat, continuously adding the milk and flour until it is all used. Then stir in the mashed dates. Spoon the pudding mixture into buttered ramekins and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- To make the sauce, put the butter, sugar and half the cream in a pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the black treacle, turn up the heat and let the mixture simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the remainder of the cream.
- To serve, turn the puddings out on to a plate. Pour the toffee sauce over the top.
Notes
- Serve with custard, vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 313
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 143 mg
- Fat: 9.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.6 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 59 mg
Ninette says
Wow, this looks absolutely decadent!
amy says
looks stickingly good:)
Rachel says
Oh no, this one looks too stickily decadent to resist! There’s nothing like a classic British pudding and this recipe takes the cake 🙂
Ciel says
Love, love, love Sticky Toffee Pudding… Would it be wrong of me to make it (and only it) for dinner? 😉
Jeanne says
Sticky toffee pudding is one of my favourites – I remember having the Woollies version back home many years ago and falling in love. I make an apple-caramel pudding which is similar, but have never attempted my own sticky toffee pudding. Isn’t black treacle somethign else? What I found it reminded me of were those black-wrappered Wilson’s toffees!!
Charlie says
Can I do this with Tate and Lyle instead?
Michelle says
Charlie: Most of the sugars, if not all, I used in this dessert were from Tate & Lyle.
ANNIE R. says
ITS AMAZING TO ME THAT WHEN AN OUTSTANDING RECIPE IS GIVEN – SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY WRITES IN TO ASK IF THEY CAN CHANGE I T, BY SUBSTITUTING SOME OTHER INGREDIENT!!……..
Christine C says
Has anyone tried to freeze this pudding and serve at a later date, without the topping of course, and if so did it work out well. I want to make it in an oblong oven proof dish.
alex says
Hi, I was wondering if this recipe would work if you just put the whole mixture in one oven dish instead of individual ramekins? Its doubtful but i want to make a sticky toffee pudding for a meal im goin to but i dont have any ramekins…
Michelle says
Alex: You can bake the mixture in a big dish and after the allotted cooking time, just check if it’s cooked in the middle by using a toothpick and seeing if it comes out dry. It might need to bake for a little bit longer. Personally, I would just use a teaspoon and have a nibble to test. No one will notice if you’re going to drizzle sauce over it. 🙂
bob says
First time returning from England and totally fell in love with this dessert, nothing better in the world, but could use a receipe on making the custard just the right consistency.
jean says
;);););););)
Jinny says
Custard recipe: Just follow the instructions on the Bird’s custard container. LEVEL tablespoon measurements. If using and English recipe note that an Imperial pint is 20 fluid ounces. U.S. pint is 16 fl. ozs.
Alison says
Hi
Made this recipe on Saturday. It was without doubt the nicest sticky toffee pudding I’ve had and even my partner (who usually can’t be persuaded to have dessert) had one. Thanks for the recipe and I can confirm it really easy to make. Btw didn’t have demerara sugar so used soft dark sugar for both parts of recipe, was delicious so not sure what difference that would have made.
harding says
i need to make sticky toffee puding for about 20, not enough ramikans mabe bake in large dish?and tripple up ingregeants
Michelle says
Harding: A large baking dish will do. A word of warning though. The cooking time might be longer so do check the centre with a toothpick to see if the pudding is cooked through. Good luck and enjoy!
Angie says
I want to make sticky toffee pudding for a lunch at someone elses house, I will need to make it at home and then take it round to be heated up latet, what would be the best way to do it as I don’t want the sauce to spoil when re-heated
Michelle says
Angie: I might be wrong but if you make the sauce ahead, keep it separate from the sponge and reheat it gently later (stir frequently), it won’t spoil.
Philipp Bender says
Black treacle = blackstrap molasses (sugar cane!)
Nicole says
Definitely making this next weekend! What size ramekins did you use?
Michelle says
The ramekins I used are pretty standard ones. More or less the equivalent of these: http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=ramekins&oe=utf-8&cid=6426548824819618748&ei=O4ZOTfU2zav4Bvj5of0D&sa=title&ved=0CBkQ8wIwBDgA#p. Please do let me know how you get on!
Nicole says
Hi Michelle,
I have one more question for you. I’m just getting around to looking at the actual measurements of the ingredients and it seems like some pretty small amounts. Less than a cup of flour and only a quarter stick of butter? I know the recipe says it serves 6, though. Does the sponge increase in volume while cooking? I’m serving 4 and wondering if I should double the recipe. It just doesn’t seem like it will make a lot of batter.
Renil M. George says
Holy shit is that toffee pudding?
★★★★★