Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe
A classic British dessert featuring a moist date-studded sponge drenched in rich, buttery toffee sauce—perfectly balanced between sweet and comforting.
Ingredients
For the Pudding Sponge
- 175 g pitted Medjool dates finely chopped
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 240 ml boiling water
- 100 g unsalted butter softened
- 150 g light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 175 g self-raising flour
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Toffee Sauce
- 150 g dark brown sugar packed
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 240 ml double cream heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
Soak the Dates:
- Place chopped dates and baking soda in a bowl.
- Pour over 240 ml boiling water, stir, and let sit 10 minutes.
Cream Butter & Sugar:
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter with light brown sugar until pale and fluffy (3–4 minutes).
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing fully. Stir in vanilla.
Combine & Fold:
- Fold in date mixture. Sift over flour and salt; gently fold until just combined.
Bake the Sponge:
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
- Grease an 8 × 8 inch dish (or four ramekins).
- Transfer batter, smooth surface, and bake 30–35 minutes (20–25 minutes for ramekins) until a skewer comes out clean.
Make Toffee Sauce:
- In a saucepan, melt butter with dark brown sugar over medium heat.
- Whisk in cream; bring to a gentle simmer for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and salt.
Assemble & Serve:
- Poke holes in the hot sponge with a skewer.
- Pour half the warm sauce over, let absorb 2 minutes.
- Serve with extra sauce, ice cream, or whipped cream.
Notes
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.
- Make-Ahead: Bake pudding a day ahead; warm in a low oven (160 °C/325 °F) for 10 minutes.
- Variations: Vegan: Use plant-based margarine, coconut cream, and a flax egg. Gluten-Free: Swap flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend (add ½ tsp xanthan gum if needed).
- Spiced: Add ½ tsp ground cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg to the sponge batter.