Sticky Toffee Pudding
Warm date cakes soaked with rich homemade toffee sauce and served with extra sauce over the top. A classic British dessert that's deeply caramelized and comforting.
🍽 8 servings
⏱ Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook: 35 min
⏰ Total: 20 min
📊 Medium
Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 8 oz pitted Medjool dates, chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- vanilla ice cream, optional
- whipped cream, lightly whipped, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
- Place chopped dates in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the dates. Stir in baking soda. Let stand for 10 minutes.
- Mash with a fork or briefly blend until the mixture becomes thick and pulpy while retaining a little texture.
- Beat softened butter and brown sugar until lighter and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Fold in the date mixture until evenly combined.
- Spread into the prepared baking dish. Bake approximately 30-35 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a tester comes out with moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
- While the pudding bakes, prepare the sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add brown sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring, until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Remove the baked pudding from the oven. Poke several small holes across the surface with a skewer. Pour approximately one-third of the warm toffee sauce over the pudding. Allow it to soak for approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Cut into eight portions. Serve warm with additional toffee sauce. Add vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.
Chef's Notes
DATES: Dates provide much of the characteristic dark, moist texture of sticky toffee pudding. DON'T OVERBAKE: The pudding should remain very moist. TOFFEE SAUCE: Keep the sauce at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.