Sticky Toffee Pudding! This is a very popular dessert in England, often served warm with a delicious hot toffee sauce. Recipe here for Slow cooker, oven or steamer. You choose!
Sticky Toffee Pudding! This is the King of Great British Puddings!
Traditional British Puddings are often steamed in pudding basins then turned out to give a dome appearance as in the photo, and then served warm with a sauce, custard or ice cream, such as our delicious Cherry and Orange Steamed Pudding.
The puddings are often very hearty, filling and warming, and of course, popular in the winter months.
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Here I have a wonderful recipe I first made many years ago when I was at school. It was a regular on our school lunch menu and very popular!
The generous pouring of toffee sauce all over the pudding makes for a very luxurious dessert and certainly not for those counting calories!
Here I made the pudding using the steaming and crock pot methods so that more of you can make this in your own homes. So without further ado, let's get to the recipe!
Equipment you'll need
1 & ½ pint pudding basin, or 6 - 8 mini pudding basins / ramekins.
Parchment paper and Aluminium Foil.
For oven method, use this size bake pan :
8" x 8" x 2 ½" deep (20cm x 20cm x 6.5cm deep)
Ingredients
PUDDING Ingredients
8 oz or 225 g cooking dates, stoned and chopped small
¾ Cup or 175 ml boiling water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 & ½ Cups or 175 g Self-raising Flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 large, fresh eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ Cup or 85 g butter , softened
⅔ Cup or 140 g demerara (brown) sugar
2 tbsp black treacle / Molasses
½ Cup or 100 ml milk
SAUCE Ingredients
¾ Cup or 175 g light muscovado sugar (if you can't get muscavado, use dark brown sugar)
¼ Cup or 55 g butter , cubed
1 Cup or 225 ml heavy / double cream
1 Tbsp black treacle / molasses
Instructions
Make the Pudding batter
1. Grease your pudding basin, mini pots or ramekins or Baking pan.
2. Cut a piece of parchment paper and place it in the base of your container . This will stop the pudding sticking later.
3. Put the chopped dates into a large bowl, add the boiling water, leave for 20 minutes. Once soft, add the vanilla extract.
4. Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a separate bowl.
5. In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, the sugar may not dissolve, but don't worry.
6. Slowly add the beaten eggs, mixing really well in between, then add the treacle and beat well.
7. Using a metal spoon fold in one half of the flour, then stir in one half of the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk is used up.
8. Add the chopped dates (including any liquid in the bowl) and stir gently.
The pudding mixture will be a thick batter.
9. Divide the mixture between the pudding ramekins, or place in the large basin or baking pan.
How to make a pleated cover for the pudding basin
For Steaming or Crock pot, please see below for covering the pudding basins:
*** PLEASE make sure you do this otherwise your pudding will turn out a very soggy mess!
1. Take a sheet of Aluminium foil and a sheet of parchment, place as in the photo, and make a pleat in the middle.
2. Cover the pudding with the foil side up and tie the string around the rim of the basin to secure the cover.
Cooking times for Oven, Slow Cooker and Steamer
OVEN
Place the puddings on a baking sheet (uncovered) and bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 25 mins for individual puddings or 45 - 50 mins for the large square at 325 F / 160 C / Gas 3.
The cake should be raised and firm to the touch, if not cook a little longer but take care not to burn.
Once ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out.
CROCKPOT
Fill the crock pot with water so it comes half way up the pudding bowl. Place 1 Tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in the water to avoid a water mark after cooking.
Set for 4 hours on HIGH. When done, poke a knife through the middle of the pudding.
The knife should come out sticky but not runny with batter. If it is runny, please cook a little longer.
When ready, remove the pudding and set aside to rest for 20 minutes
STEAMING
Steam a large pudding for 1 ½ hours, small puddings for 45 minutes.
When ready for serving, run a flat knife around the edge to loosen and turn upside down onto a plate deep enough to hold the toffee sauce.
MAKE THE TOFFEE SAUCE
1. Over a medium heat, melt the butter, sugar and half the cream in a saucepan. Raise the heat slightly and bring to the boil stirring constantly until all the sugar has dissolved.
Add the treacle and allow the sauce to bubble for 2 mins
2. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 1 minute then stir in the remaining cream.
Place a portion of the warm cake onto serving dishes, and drizzle generous amounts of sauce over.
Serve with custard or ice cream.
The puddings can be made a day or two in advance, placed in an oven-proof dish, and drenched with the sauce.
Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and store until needed.
Reheat for 20 mins in a hot oven, 325∞F/160∞C/Gas 3, or the same time in a steamer until hot right through.
Serve with custard or ice cream.
The puddings covered in the sauce also freeze well. Reheat as above.
We'd love to hear from you and what you thought of our post. Did you make any changes or add some other goodies? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!
Recipe Card
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Perfect English Sticky Toffee Pudding. Heavenly! A delicious cake dessert served with a dreamy toffee sauce. It's a keeper!
Ingredients
PUDDING
- 8 oz or 225 g cooking dates, stoned and chopped small
- ¾ Cup or 175 ml boiling water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ Cups or 175 g Self-raising Flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 large, fresh eggs, lightly beaten
- ⅓ Cup or 85 g butter, softened
- ⅔ Cup or 140 g demerara sugar, brown
- 2 tbsp black treacle / Molasses
- ½ Cup or 100 ml milk
SAUCE
- ¾ Cup or 175 g light muscovado sugar (if you can't get muscavado, use dark brown sugar)
- ¼ Cup or 55 g butter, cubed
- 1 Cup or 225 ml heavy or double cream
- 1 Tbsp black treacle or molasses
Instructions
Make the Pudding:
- Grease your pudding basin, mini pots or ramekins or Baking pan.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper and place it in the base of your container . This will stop the pudding sticking later.
- Put the chopped dates into a large bowl, add the boiling water, leave for 20 minutes. Once soft, add the vanilla extract.
- Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a separate bowl.
- In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, the sugar may not dissolve, but don't worry.
- Slowly add the beaten eggs, mixing really well in between, then add the treacle and beat well.
- Using a metal spoon fold in one half of the flour, then stir in one half of the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk is used up.
- Add the chopped dates (including any liquid in the bowl) and stir gently.The pudding mixture will be a thick batter.
- Divide the mixture between the pudding ramekins, or place in the large basin or baking pan.
For Steaming or Crock pot, please see below for covering the pudding basins:
- *** PLEASE make sure you do this otherwise your pudding will turn out a very soggy mess!
- Take a sheet of Aluminium foil and a sheet of parchment, place as in the photo and make a pleat in the middle. Cover the pudding with the foil side up and tie string around the rim of the basin to secure the cover.
OVEN:
- Place on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 - 25 mins for individual puddings or 45 - 50 mins for the large square at 325 F / 160 C / Gas 3. The cake should be raised and firm to the touch, if not cook a little longer but take care not to burn. Once ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out.
CROCKPOT:
- Fill the crock pot with water so it comes half way up the pudding bowl. Place 1 Tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice in the water to avoid a water mark after cooking.
- Set for 4 hours on HIGH. When done, poke a knife through the middle of the pudding. The knife should come out sticky but not runny with batter. If it is runny, please cook a little longer. When ready, remove the pudding and set aside to rest for 20 minutes.
STEAMING:
- Steam a large pudding for 1 ½ hours, small puddings for 45 minutes.
- When ready for serving, run a flat knife around the edge to loosen and turn upside down onto a plate deep enough to hold the toffee sauce.
MAKE THE SAUCE!
- Over a medium heat, melt the butter, sugar and half the cream in a saucepan. Raise the heat slightly and bring to the boil stirring constantly until all the sugar has dissolved. Add the treacle and allow the sauce to bubble for 2 mins. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 1 minute then stir in the remaining cream.
- Place a portion of the warm cake onto serving dishes, and drizzle generous amounts of sauce over.Serve with custard or ice cream.
- *** The puddings can be made a day or two in advance, placed in an oven proof dish and drenched with the sauce. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and store until needed. Reheat for 20 mins in a hot oven, 325°F/160°C/Gas 3, or the same time in a steamer until hot right through.
- Serve with custard or ice cream.
- The puddings covered in the sauce also freeze well. Reheat as above.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 772Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 156mgSodium: 547mgCarbohydrates: 112gFiber: 4gSugar: 85gProtein: 8g
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Andrea
says:So this turned out great! I used scalloped edge ramekins. I experimented here: I wrapped exactly as you indicated and put in a water bath in oven at 325 for 40 mins. I also baked some uncovered with no water bath.
They both turned out excellent. My choice for texture is definitely the covered in a water bath method. Light, fluffy, perfect. The baked was still great just a tiny bit denser I’d say. Thx for the recipe, was my first time making this :)
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Andrea, thanks for your feedback and glad you enjoyed both methods! I also prefer the steamed/ water bath method. If you enjoy these types of puddings, take a look at our steamed lemon sponge cake and steamed cherry cake, whilst the method is using a steamer, you could easily bake them like you did in your pretty ramekins the same way you’ve done here!
Happy New Year to you!
Deborah
says:I just steamed my pudding for two hours and it looks great!
The pudding is for tomorrow, so I plan to make the sauce and custard tomorrow and then reheat the pudding, too. Is it best to reheat the whole pudding in the microwave, the steamer, or the oven, and then sauce it?
I want to keep it as moist as possible. Also, should I store it tightly wrapped in the fridge or is it better to stick it in a cool closet.
Any advice is appreciated.
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Deborah,
Keep it wrapped well and then I would reheat in the microwave (covered) or steam for around 30 minutes.
Enjoy your pudding!
Deborah
says:I’ve never tried cooking a steamed pudding before want to try this one soon. I just purchased a 1.6 ltr pudding mold. Am I correct that I can do 1.5 x this recipe for my mold? Also, your steaming method says to keep the water below the mold while others say to have the water halfway up the mold and keep it at a low simmer. Can you shed any light on this?
Thank you.
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Deborah, yes you can increase the recipe to 1.5. Just make sure the batter only reaches a third of the way up the bowl. If you have any leftovers, pop excess batter in some ramekins.
For steaming, you can add water so it is in contact with the bowl (it depends what steaming equipment you’re using) but I find when you do that, the cake which has had water in contact with the bowl can have a chewier texture. I think it is because the heat on the batter is hotter there because of the water, if that makes sense? I’m guessing you are going to use a trivet to steam- if so, I would just keep topping up the water level until just under the bowl (use boiling water).
Hope that helps!
Deborah
says:Thank you for your fast response. Yes, I’ll be using a trivet in my soup pot to do the steaming and your explanation of the process helps. I’ll be making this for a British friend soon. I’ll let you know it how it works out.
Jean blakeston
says:I love how you explain the recipe, have you got a web site please,tia
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Jean, glad you enjoyed the recipe! If you’d like to look around for some more lovely recipes you can just look at the top of any page for a category of start from the homepage which is this https://lovefoodies.com/
April J Harris
says:This really is the kind of British puddings and you’ve made such a lovely job of it! The pudding looks and sounds fantastic and your sauce – oh my it looks amazing! This is a mouthwatering dessert!
lovefoodies
says:Thanks very much April. For some reason this comment has ended up in my Walnut Banana recipe but I think you are referring to the Sticky Toffee Pudding (I saw your comment on our Facebook Page!) https://lovefoodies.com/sticky-toffee-pudding.html#.VHzDZTHF-TW
Thanks very much for your comments and encouragement, I appreciate it very much!