If you believe that certain desserts exist solely to be vehicles for a thick, luxurious caramel sauce, then this sticky toffee pudding is about to fulfill—or perhaps surpass—your sweetest dreams. While this website boasts an array of sweet, buttery caramel-infused recipes, none quite match the decadence of having caramel seeped directly into a steaming, bubbling masterpiece of molten pudding. Originating from England, this beloved Christmas dessert is at its best when served piping hot, bathed in warm toffee sauce, and crowned with velvety vanilla ice cream.
| Servings | Total | CALORIES |
| 8 | 1hr 30mins | 703 |
Understanding Sticky Toffee Pudding:
Sticky toffee pudding is a moist sponge cake crafted with blended dates and generously smothered in toffee sauce. The sauce, resembling more of a rich caramel sauce, deviates from typical toffee, which is usually a concoction of sugar and butter cooked down to a “hard crack” candy stage without the addition of smooth cream (think Christmas cracker candy). The irresistibly soft sticky toffee pudding serves as a delightful alternative to the renowned yet intricate figgy pudding, a brandy-infused steamed dessert aged for over a month!
Can You Prepare Sticky Toffee Pudding in Advance?
While this dessert shines when served steaming hot, it doesn’t mean you have to be whipping up toffee sauce while entertaining guests! Whether baked in individual ramekins or a casserole dish, reheating is a breeze. Toffee sauce can be microwaved until smooth and pourable (30 seconds to 1 minute), while the pudding, whether unmolded or scooped onto plates, can be reheated in the microwave until steaming (30 seconds to 1 minute). Alternatively, ramekins or the casserole dish can be covered with foil and baked at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until heated through (10 to 12 minutes).
Ingredients:
For the Pudding:
- 1/2 lb. pitted dates (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
For the Toffee Sauce:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Directions:
- For the Pudding: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine dates, baking soda, and 1 cup boiling water. Let stand until softened (15 minutes), then transfer to a blender and process until smooth.
- Butter ramekins or a baking dish and set on a baking sheet.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves.
- Using a stand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, then gradually add the flour mixture and date mixture, beating until just combined.
- Spoon the mixture into prepared ramekins or baking dish.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean (25-30 minutes for ramekins, 55 minutes to 1 hour for the baking dish). Poke holes in the pudding with a fork.
- For the Toffee Sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and salt, and bring to a boil. Whisk in whipping cream slowly until combined. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour sauce over each pudding or the entire pudding.
- Return to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and soaks into the pudding (about 5 minutes for ramekins, 10 minutes for the baking dish).
- Allow to cool before serving hot with the remaining sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Tip:
Though not traditional, this dessert welcomes the addition of chopped toasted nuts—sprinkle with toasted pecans, walnuts, peanuts, or almonds if desired!
Best Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. pitted dates (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- For the Pudding: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, combine dates, baking soda, and 1 cup boiling water. Let stand until softened (15 minutes), then transfer to a blender and process until smooth.
- Butter ramekins or a baking dish and set on a baking sheet.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves.
- Using a stand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, then gradually add the flour mixture and date mixture, beating until just combined.
- Spoon the mixture into prepared ramekins or baking dish.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean (25-30 minutes for ramekins, 55 minutes to 1 hour for the baking dish). Poke holes in the pudding with a fork.
- For the Toffee Sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and salt, bring to a boil. Whisk in whipping cream slowly until combined. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour sauce over each pudding or the entire pudding.
- Return to the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly and soaks into the pudding (about 5 minutes for ramekins, 10 minutes for the baking dish).
- Allow to cool before serving hot with the remaining sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Notes
I hope you find this Recipe informative. If you have any further questions or need any adjustments, please feel free to let me know!