Snack

Ultimate Sticky Toffee Pudding

Name: Ultimate Sticky Toffee Pudding
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 225g Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped; 175ml boiling water, boiling; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 175g self-raising flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 eggs, beaten; 85g butter, softened; 140g demerara sugar; 2 tbsp black treacle; 100ml milk; 1 scoop ice cream; 175g muscovado sugar; 50g butter; 225ml double cream; 1 tbsp black treacle

Individual British sticky toffee puddings made with soaked Medjool dates and served with a rich black-treacle toffee sauce.

1 hr 15 min
650 kcal
Vegetarian
British
Dessert
Cake

Mellowpan tip: Makes 7 servings, plenty to share.

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Ingredients

For 7 servings

Steps

Step 1:
Put the pitted, chopped dates in a bowl and pour over the boiling water.
Step 2:
Leave the dates for about 30 minutes, until cool and well soaked, then mash them slightly with a fork.
30 min
Step 3:
Stir the vanilla extract into the soaked dates.
Step 4:
Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins, each about 200ml/7fl oz, and place them on a baking sheet.
Step 5:
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Step 6:
Mix the self-raising flour and bicarbonate of soda together, and beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
Step 7:
Beat 85g butter and the demerara sugar in a large bowl for a few minutes until slightly creamy; the mixture will remain grainy from the sugar.
Step 8:
Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition.
Step 9:
Beat in 2 tbsp black treacle.
Step 10:
Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour, then half the milk, taking care not to overbeat.
Step 11:
Repeat with the remaining flour and milk until both are used.
Step 12:
Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter; it may look slightly curdled and will be soft and thick.
Step 13:
Spoon the batter evenly among the tins and bake for 20–25 minutes, until risen and firm.
20–25 min
Step 14:
For the sauce, put the muscovado sugar, 50g butter, and half the double cream in a medium saucepan.
Step 15:
Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Step 16:
Stir in 1 tbsp black treacle, increase the heat slightly, and let the mixture bubble for 2–3 minutes until rich toffee coloured, stirring occasionally so it does not burn.
2–3 min
Step 17:
Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the remaining double cream.
Step 18:
Remove the puddings from the oven and leave them in their tins for a few minutes.
Step 19:
Loosen the puddings from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife, then turn them out.
Step 20:
Serve immediately with the sauce drizzled over, or leave for a day or two coated in the sauce for stickier puddings.
Step 21:
To coat and hold the puddings, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes, place the upturned puddings on the sauce, and pour over the remaining sauce.
Step 22:
Cover loosely with a tent of foil so the sauce does not smudge; chilling is not needed.
Step 23:
When ready to serve, heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Step 24:
Warm the covered puddings for 15–20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
15–20 min
Step 25:
Serve on their own, or with cream or custard.