Perfect English Sticky Toffee Pudding
Perfect Sticky Toffee Pudding. NEW VIDEO RECIPE!! The best version of this classic British dessert that I've ever tried. Baked in muffin pans for perfect portions of this moist, rich dense dessert served with an indulgent toffee sauce.
Originally published Jan 2013.
This is the best sticky toffee pudding that I have ever tried. It borrows some of the best elements from a few different recipes for this classic and iconic British dessert.
Sticky Toffee Pudding should be light in texture with a crumb structure that stands up when baked but collapses in the mouth to a dense, sweet, sticky, soft texture.
This recipe hits all of those points and also has a perfect toffee sauce that soaks into the rich moist pudding lending yet another delicious dimension to this tempting dessert.
If you have a favourite pudding form or mold, feel free to use that and keep an eye on it while baking, taking it out as soon as the centre is firm. It is better to err on the side of slightly under-baking than over-baking with this recipe.
I have baked these in muffin tins, which for me is the perfect serving size for this very rich dessert. If you disagree, you can always have two; let's face it, you probably will.
Sticky Toffee Pudding Update June 2018
I've been asked several times over the past few years if this recipe can be made in a tube pan or a bundt pan. The answer is yes. I would not use a very large tube pan, like those you would use for an angel food cake.
This recipe is on the smaller side, so might be too flat in a large pan. It still is not very tall in my large bundt pan but it did bake up consistently moist, so I have no problem recommending a bundt pan.
I actually served 14 people at a family lunch just yesterday and used a bundt pan to bake it. I made sure the pan was very well greased and floured and it slipped out of the pan no problem.
Greasing a bundt pan
My method for greasing a bundt pan is to put it in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes and then melt some butter just until it turns liquid. You don't want to super heat the butter to steaming hot.
I then take a pastry brush to brush the melted butter all over the inside of the bundt pan. The butter immediately solidifies on the cold pan and makes sure that all the nooks and crannies are amply covered. A light dusting of flour after that and you pan is ready.
I baked the pudding at 325 degrees F for 55 minutes and it was perfect coming out of my oven.
I still like the idea of using the muffin pans, especially when I am planning to freeze some of the individual puddings but if I know I will be serving a larger crowd, this method may save a little time.
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Perfect English Sticky Toffee Pudding
Perfect Sticky Toffee Pudding - The best version of the classic British dessert that I've ever tried.
Ingredients
For the pudding
- 8 ounces chopped pitted dried dates
- 1 ½ cups water
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 extra large eggs
- 3 tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoon golden syrup, or substitute dark corn syrup
- 1 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the toffee sauce
- ½ cup whipping cream
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 tablespoon golden syrup
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To prepare the pudding
- Add the dates and water to a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for only a couple of minutes. Let stand for a few minutes while preparing the rest of the batter.
- Cream together the butter brown sugar and vanilla.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the molasses and golden syrup and beat well.
- Sift together the flour and baking powder.
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture in three equal portions mixing until smooth after each addition.
- Puree the date mixture in a food processor or blender before mixing in the baking soda.
- Add this hot mixture immediately to the batter and mix until smooth.
- Pour batter into well greased and floured muffin tins and bake for about 18 – 20 minutes at 350 degrees F until the center is just firm.
- Serve warm with Toffee Sauce.
To make the toffee sauce
- Bring all of the ingredients to a slow rolling boil for about 2 min before serving over the baked puddings.
Notes
Baking in a Bundt Pan
If baking in a bundt pan be sure it is well greased and floured as described in the introduction to this recipe. Bake at 325 degrees F for 55-60 minutes.
Serve warm with the toffee sauce.Don't be afraid to double the toffee sauce recipe. People may just ask for more!
To make as individual muffin sized servings
A reader only had one 12 muffin pan so I calculated this recipe to make just a dozen instead of 18. The eggs are the biggest issue in downsizing any recipe. My trick for this if using extra large eggs is to whisk the egg and remove about a tablespoon. That should approximate the size of a medium egg.
Here are the ingredients for 12 muffin sized sticky toffee puddings:
- 5 ½ ounces chopped pitted dried dates
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup butter
• ⅔ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium eggs
• 2 tablespoon molasses
• 1 ½ tablespoon golden syrup (or substitute dark corn syrup)
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
Nutrition Information
Yield
18Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 249Saturated Fat 5gCholesterol 43mgSodium 139mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 1gSugar 30gProtein 2g
Winner, Lovely recipe with delicious results, thank you Barry.
Would I be able to make the sauce the night before and heat it again before serving?
Yes, for sure. I often do.
I had never had this before, but have some friends that absolutely adore sticky toffee pudding - so i thought I'd give it a try. OMG! Rave reviews - I totally enjoyed it myself as well. Even my mother had seconds.
it's now in my book of favourite recipes and I've made it a bunch of times.
Tips - muffin tin size, is the perfect size, you might think you can eat more, but you'll find a muffin size is plenty - freezes really well (without the sauce) and when warmed up again, tastes like you just made it.
glad I stumbled upon this site - every recipe I've tried has been a winner!
Wonderful recipe! I have made it several times. Science question - why add the baking soda to the dates, and not to the flour? Thank you for sharing!!
Tempers the soda, I think, to take some of the rising action out of it to more slowly rise the cake.
Thanks!
How long do you heat them and at what temperature once they have been frozen?
I put them on a parchment lined baking sheet at 325 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
Look at all the comments and all seem to be impressed with this dessert and I know why. They are just so absolutely delicious. I could have made a double batch and they would have disappeared and we were only three. I was on a sugar high for four hours after Supper!
Two years ago at Christmas I substituted this recipe for the regular plum pudding and hard sauce that we have always had. I thought the family may have be upset but instead they were asking for more, which btw they never do with the plum pudding. This was so light and delicious. Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. Thanks for giving us a new tradition that I know will be well received.
This was the best Sticky Date Pudding I've ever had! I've been trialing various recipes form around the internet, also from friends. I cant believe how light the puddings are, so full of flavor and that sauce is to die for! Thank you, I've found my winning recipe, the search is over!
This recipe looks so incredible, I can't wait to try it. Barry, do you think I could substitute raisins for the dates and maintain the pudding's proper consistency and texture?
I don't think that would give the proper sticky consistency but I stand to be corrected.
Can I use maple syrup instead of corn syrup? Also, have you ever used raisins instead of dates?
Thanks
The dates provide the sticky texture of the pudding but I’m sure you could add raisins if you wish. We have never replaced the corn syrup with maple
What are your, thoughts on increasing the recipe (I'm baking in a bundt pan and want it *tall*)? Any issues, or just watch the baking time?
Definitely watch baking time
Just learned there's a Fancy molassDoes this recipe use regular molasses or fancy?
I use fancy
This is my third year making this recipe. It is flawless, easy and delicious. I make a couple of alterations. I have celiac, so I make it with gluten free flour and xanthanan gum. I replace the 1 1/2 cups of water with Rum and soak the dates for a min. of 24hrs before pureeing. Boiling the dates isn't needed after soaking in Rum, they soften up nice. For the toffee sauce, I replace the heavy cream with Eggnog (we have a really thick one, from a local dairy that works great). It comes out perfect everytime. Sweet, rich, sticky, boozy goodness. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Made 100 of these for a Celtic Night Evening at church. Everybody raved about them.
Will be making this tomorrow.
One suggestion for downsizing eggs is usually the most significant problem but now you can buy real whole eggs in a 500 ml carton and measure out as much as you need
A question ...many recipes add baking soda when cooking dates, why?