Sticky Toffee Pudding (with dates)
Sticky toffee pudding (STP) is a rich, dense, gooey dessert originating from the United Kingdom that can now be found across the world. Often found on a pub's menu, or in British or Commonwealth schools meals, this is a classic dessert that became popular in the 1970s.[1]
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
12
1¾ cups (250 g/8.8 oz) self-raising flour
⅞ stick (100 g/3.5 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (250 g/8.8 oz) caster sugar
2 large or 3 medium eggs
2½ cups (250 g/8.8 oz) dates (without stones), finely chopped
1¼ cups (300 ml/10 US fl oz) water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1⅔ cups (400 ml/14 US fl oz) whipping cream
⅔ cup (120 g/4.2 oz) dark, soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 sticks (375 g/13.2 oz) unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 180°C/360°F.
Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. You can do this by beating it in a bowl with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes, taking care to break up the crystals and smooth the mixture out as much as possible. Or, do it using an electric mixer if you prefer.
5 minutes
Add the eggs one at a time, beating after you've added each egg.
Fold in the flour.
Bring the water to the boil and add the dates. Add the bicarb and immediately take the pan off the heat. Let it cool slightly, then add to the batter.
Pour the batter into a greased cake tin—make sure you use one with enough room for the cake to rise.
Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
40 minutes
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool a little while you make the sauce
Mix the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Heat gently, stirring often to make sure that the mixture doesn't separate, until it is a smooth sauce—don't allow it to bubble.
Divide the cake into portions and poke holes all over the top with a skewer or chopstick.
Pour the sauce over the top of the cake, making sure it gets in the holes. Serve with cream, custard, or ice cream.
- •Finely chopping the dates helps make a really gooey cake, but some people prefer to chop the dates roughly so that they're more obvious in the finished pudding.