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    Ultimate Sticky Toffee Puddings

    Published: Oct 15, 2021 · Modified: Nov 15, 2021 by Jacqueline Bellefontaine ·

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    sticky toffee pudding on a plate with sauce being poured on top.

    Rich indulgent sticky toffee pudding is one of those desserts that's hard to resist. To me these are the ultimate sticky toffee puddings made with dates and pecans.

    sticky toffee pudding on a plate with sauce being poured on top.

     Sticky toffee puddings are a modern classic and are as popular now as they were when they first rose in the popularity stakes in the late 1960s early 70s..

     Like the original, my signature sticky toffee puddings are made up in two separate parts–the cake and the sauce.  You will find some sticky toffee puddings without dates. To me these are a poor relation because  a  good sticky toffee pudding should be  just that,  a little sticky. Without the dates the stickiness is lost and you basically just have a sponge pudding with a toffee sauce. Delicious but just not a true sticky toffee pudding.

    My puddings are moist, not overly sweet  or too stodgy and contain date and chopped pecans and have a little hint of ginger.

    These ultimate sticky toffee puddings are made in individual moulds so no more fighting over who got the bigger portion!

    Give them a go and let me know what you think!

    Ingredients 

    To make this sticky toffee puddings

    ingredients for the cake portion of sticky toffee pudding.
    • Dates – I use the ready to eat stoned dates 
    • Bicarbonate of soda – to soften the skins of the dates
    • Pecans – to add texture 
    • Butter – I use salted so no need to add additional salt to the puddings
    • Dark muscovado sugar – this dark brown sugar adds a good rich “toffee” flavour to the puddings
    • Eggs – Medium
    • Self-raising flour
    • Ground ginger

    To make the the sauce:

    Ingredientes for sticky toffee sauce.
    • Light muscovado sugar - a lighter more subtle flavour than dark muscovado
    • Dark muscovado sugar
    • Butter – again salted is ideal
    • Rum or brandy –You can leave it out if you must (add orange juice instead) but it gives the sauce a bit of an adult kick and makes this sauce extra special
    • Double cream – (optional) for a milder sauce

    Cooking the perfect pudding

    Bain marie

    A good pudding should be moist and not stodgy. I use small metal pudding moulds to make mine but you could also use tea cups (but may be best not to use your best china), large ramekins or even silicone pudding moulds.

    The puddings tins are placed in a bain marie (water bath) as this produces a more gentle heat and helps to keep the puddings moist, preventing a hard crust forming around the outside of the puddings.

    The puddings are cooked when they are springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

    The toffee sauce

    I serve mine with a simple toffee sauce made by cooking a mixture or dark and light muscovado sugar and butter together. A slug of brandy or rum will give the sauce a richer flavour which really compliments the puddings well. 

    If liked you can add a little cream to the sauce for a slightly milder flavour.   The sauce should be cooked genbtly until the butter and sugar are just combined; it will be quite runny to begin with but will thicken slightly as it cools. Serve warm.

    sticky toffee pudding with spoonful removed.

    Serving the puddings

    You can serve this rich and indulgent dessert with just the toffee sauce or with a generous drizzle of double cream. Better still, a scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream or this stem ginger ice cream will make it even more of a treat.

    Sticky toffee puddings step by step

    To Make the puddings

    poring boiling water over dates in bowl.

    1 Soak the dates with the bicarbonate of soda.

    creamed butter and sugar in bowl.

    2 Cream the butter and sugar together.

    Egg added to butter and sugar.

    3 Beat the eggs one at a time.

    flour and ginger added to bowl.

    4 Then fold in the flour and ginger.

    dates and walnuts in the bowl.

    5 Add the dates and the soaking liquid and pecans, Stir in.

    Filled pudding basins in water bath.

    6 Divide between the pudding moulds. Place in a roasting tin and pour boiling water to come half way up the tins.

    baked puddings coming out of oven.

    7 Bake until risen and spring to the touch.

    turning out puddings.

    8 Allow to cool in the moulds for 10 minutes before turning out.

    To make the sauce

    ingredients for sauce in pan.

    1 Melt the butter with the sugar and brandy or rum until combined.

    adding cream to sauce.

    2 Once the sugar has dissolved bring to the boil then remove from the heat and stir in the cream.

    Can you prepare this dessert ahead of time

    Both the sauce and the puddings can be made in advance; in fact, the flavour improves if given a chance to mature. They can be reheated in a low oven in the tins or very quickly in the microwave (turned out of their tins) for about 20-30 seconds per pudding. Reheat the sauce gently over a low heat.

    How long will the puddings keep?

    The puddings will for 2 to 3 days. Turn out while still warm and allow to cool on a wire rack. Wash and thoroughly dry the moulds and return the puddings to the moulds. Cover the tops with foil or cling film. Alternatively, store in an airtight container.

    They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature then reheat as above.

    The sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

    portion of a large sticky pudding.

    Individual or one large pudding

    Traditionally the cake component of a sticky toffee pudding is cooked in a large tin and cut into portions to serve. I like to make mine in individual pudding moulds as I think they not only look better but tend to be more moist and pudding like without being stodgy. If you prefer to go the traditional route and cook one large pudding this mixture can also be baked in an 18cm (7in) square cake tin and will take about 35 minutes to cook.

     If you choose to cook yours in a cake tin then make sure it is a solid cake tin.  If you only have loose bottom tin place a pan of water below the cake while cooking to help keep it more moist.

    Sticky toffee pudding on plate with a spoonful removed.

    Sticky Toffee Puddings

    A modern classic, individual puddings served with a toffee sauce.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine British
    Keyword sponge pudding
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Servings 6
    Author Jacqueline Bellefontaine
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved!

    Equipment

    • 6 metal or silicone pudding moulds,
    • ovenproof baking dish or roasting tin

    Ingredients

    for the puddings

    • 175 g (6oz) stoned dates
    • ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 50 g (2oz) pecans
    • 125 g (4oz) butter, softened
    • 125 g (4oz) dark muscovado sugar
    • 2 medium eggs
    • 125 g (4oz) self-raising flour
    • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

    for the sauce:

    • 50 g (2oz) light muscovado sugar
    • 25 g (1oz) dark muscovado sugar
    • 50 g (2oz) butter
    • 2 tablespoon rum or brandy
    • 100 ml (3½ floz) double cream (optional)

    Instructions

    To make the puddings

    • Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5. Lightly grease and line the base of 6 pudding moulds.
    • Chop 175g (6oz) dates and place in a heatproof bowl and add ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. Cover with 150ml (¼pt) boiling water, then set aside. Chop 50g (2oz) pecans and set aside.
    • Beat together 125g (4oz) butter and 125g (4oz) sugar until lightly fluffy, then add 2 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
    • Add 125g (4oz) flour and ¼ teaspoon ground ginger to the mixing bowl and gently fold in with a large metal spoon or spatula.
    • Add the dates plus the soaking liquid to the bowl and stir in along with the chopped pecans. Fold in until the dates and pecans are evenly combined. At this stage the mixture will be quite wet and like a very thick lumpy batter.
    • Divide the mixture equally between the 6 pudding moulds filling them about ¾ full.
    • Stand the pudding moulds in a shallow ovenproof dish or roasting tin. Fill the dish or tin with boiling water to come half way up the pudding moulds. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake in the oven for 40 minutes until the puddings are springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

    To make the sauce

    • Meanwhile, to make the toffee sauce, place 50g (2oz) light and 25g (1oz) muscovado sugar, 50g (2oz) butter, 2 tablespoon rum or brandy in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until combined.
    • Once the sugar as dissolved bring to the boil then remove from the heat and stir in 100ml (3½flo oz) double cream if using.

    To serve

    • When the puddings are cooked, carefully remove the pudding moulds from the roasting tin and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
    • Loosen the puddings from the moulds and turn out onto warm serving plates. Spoon the sauce over the puddings and serve.

    Notes

    Dark muscovado sugar does not cream together as well as caster sugar but do not worry if a few small lumps of sugar remain, as long as they are small.
    The pudding can also be baked in a 18cm (7in) square cake tin and will take about 30-35 minutes to cook. Serve cut into  portions.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment or mention @OnlyCrumbsRemain or tag #OnlyCrumbsRemain!

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    About Jacqueline Bellefontaine

    Jacqueline is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and has been a cookery writer and food stylist for over 25 years. She has written over 15 cookery books, in addition to writing for several major magazines. She likes to champion good basic home cooking and as the daughter of a master baker, she is passionate about home baking.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Swaps

      January 28, 2022 at 7:04 pm

      5 stars
      Looks delish! Just wondering.. if you are making one big pudding, does that also need to be placed in a dish with water half way up? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        February 02, 2022 at 5:17 pm

        I havent tested it this way but yes ideally I would as it helps keep the pudding moist.

        Reply
    2. David

      January 19, 2022 at 12:12 am

      This recipe is going to be a win win with my partner.
      Can't wait to try it out 🙂

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        January 21, 2022 at 4:34 pm

        Ohh I do hope so do pop back and rate it when you have tried it.

        Reply
    3. Cat | Curly's Cooking

      November 05, 2021 at 10:02 pm

      5 stars
      These look like absolute perfection! Such a delicious dessert.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        November 08, 2021 at 6:44 pm

        Thanks Cat it's a favourite winter dessert of mine for sure!

        Reply
    4. Sheeba

      November 05, 2021 at 3:03 am

      5 stars
      This sticky pudding looks amazingly delicious! I'm going to try it right away!

      Reply
    5. Chloe

      November 04, 2021 at 11:30 pm

      5 stars
      Ooooh i've never added pecans to my sticky toffee but this looks a gorgeous recipe so I'll be trying it next!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        November 08, 2021 at 6:45 pm

        I like the extra soft crunch pecans adds to the texture,

        Reply
    6. Rebecca - Glutarama

      November 04, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      5 stars
      Lip-smackingly gorgeous! I do so love a sticky toffee pudding and yours look just the ticket. What a fabulous recipe to have handy as we come into the winter months.

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Bellefontaine

        November 08, 2021 at 6:45 pm

        Its hard to beat a good sticky toffee pudding isn't it!

        Reply

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