Sticky Toffee Pudding
This Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe makes a soft date sponge with a generous jug of buttery sauce to spoon over at the table. Chopped dates soften in boiling water before going into the batter, keeping the pudding moist without making it heavy. You only need a mixing bowl, a saucepan and a baking dish.
For a hot South African Christmas, bake it the day before so the oven stays off during lunch preparations. Serve small squares gently warmed, rather than piping hot, with cold vanilla ice cream. Keep some sauce separate for anyone who likes an extra spoonful, and refrigerate the rest promptly: it makes a lovely Boxing Day treat when everyone is ready for something sweet again.
Ingredients
Date sponge
Toffee sauce
To serve
Instructions
Make the pudding
- 1Heat the oven to 180 °C, or 160 °C fan-assisted. Grease a 20 cm square baking dish at least 5 cm deep. If using glass or ceramic, check that it is ovenproof.
- 2Put the dates in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda; it may foam briefly. Leave for 10 minutes, then mash with a fork into a chunky paste. Allow to cool until lukewarm. Keep all the soaking liquid.
- 3Beat the softened butter and brown sugar together for 2–3 minutes until lighter and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla essence. A slightly curdled appearance is fine.
- 4Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Fold into the butter mixture, alternating with the dates and their liquid, just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be fairly loose.
- 5Scrape the batter into the prepared dish and level the surface. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until the centre springs back lightly and a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out without raw batter.
Make the sauce and serve
- 1While the sponge bakes, put the sauce butter, sugar and cream in a saucepan. Warm over a low heat, stirring until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- 2Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla essence and salt. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
- 3Let the baked sponge stand for 5 minutes, then prick it all over with a skewer. Slowly spoon about one-third of the warm sauce over the top and leave for 10 minutes to soak in.
- 4Cut into 8 portions and serve warm with the remaining sauce and, if you like, vanilla ice cream.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 615 kcal
- Carbohydrates
- 83 g
- Protein
- 6 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Saturated fat
- 18 g
- Sugar
- 64 g
- Fibre
- 2.5 g
- Sodium
- 355 mg
- Cholesterol
- 128 mg
Estimated values based on the ingredients used.
Notes
Christmas tips
- Bake the sponge and make the sauce a day ahead. Keep them separate, cool promptly, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room temperature is above 32 °C.
- To reheat the whole sponge, cover the ovenproof dish with foil and warm at 160 °C for about 20–25 minutes, until hot through. Follow the dish manufacturer's guidance on moving chilled bakeware into an oven. Warm the sauce gently on the stove, then prick and soak the sponge as directed.
- For a hot-weather Christmas lunch, microwave individual portions until hot through, then let them settle to a comfortable serving temperature before adding cold ice cream.
- Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 3 days. Freeze the sponge and sauce separately for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ordinary dried dates?
Yes. Standard pitted dried dates work well; there is no need to buy Medjool dates. Chop them finely and, if they are particularly firm, soak for an extra 5–10 minutes before mashing.
Can I use self-raising flour?
Yes. Replace the cake wheat flour with the same weight of self-raising flour and omit the baking powder. Keep the bicarbonate of soda in the date mixture.
Why is my toffee sauce too thick?
The sauce thickens as it cools, especially in the fridge. Reheat it gently while stirring, adding a little cream or water, 15 ml at a time, until it pours easily. Avoid boiling it hard, which can make it greasy.
