Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky Toffee Pudding. The name may sound a little funny, but this dessert is seriously beloved in England. While the word pudding may make most Americans picture the goopy chocolate stuff that comes out of a can, in the UK, pudding is often used as a generic word for any dessert, and more specifically to refer to a category of rich, dense cakes that are often steamed. Exactly the kind of hearty comfort food we like to indulge in on a cold winter night. And since temperatures have regularly been below freezing lately, we thought it was the perfect time to take comfort in a Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe of our own.

Sticky Toffee Pudding is a relatively recent phenomenon, having first been made at the Sharrow Bay Country House in northwest England during the 1970s. Its invention is credited to Francis Coulson, Sharrow Bay’s owner, though there are rumors that Coulson got the recipe from a woman named Patricia Martin, herself a hotelier. Martin, in turn, is said to have gotten the recipe from some Canadian air force officers she had met during World War II. Regardless of where the recipe originated, it is now considered a modern British classic and can be found in restaurants and grocery stores across the UK.

Our Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe hews closely to tradition, consisting of a dense cake topped with a decadent caramel sauce. Interestingly, the batter is made with Medjool dates, which help keep the cake moist while also giving it incredible flavor. And of course, our Madagascar Vanilla Extract adds to the sweet sophistication to this English dessert recipe. Serve warm and top with some whipped cream or (even better) vanilla ice cream, and your taste buds will feel like they’ve gone on a delicious holiday all their own.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Yields 4-6 servings

Caramel Sauce Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 stick salted butter, cut into pieces
  • ½ cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • Caramel Sauce Directions:

    In a medium saucepan, add butter, corn syrup, sugar, and half of the heavy cream. Heat over medium and whisk until ingredients combine. Bring to a low boil and cook for 30-35 minutes until the syrup is a dark golden brown. Add the remaining heavy cream and whisk lightly until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

    Cake Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces Medjool dates, pitted
  • ¾ cup water
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon Madagascar Vanilla Extract
  • Cake Directions:

    Place the dates into a saucepan with water. Heat on medium for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.

    Place the sugar and butter into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy; add the egg, vanilla and date puree, mix until well combined.

    Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and add to the mixer. Blend until just incorporated. Grease 4-6 ramekins and fill 2/3 of the way with the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. The center should feel stiff when lightly touched. Cool to room temperature.

    Remove cakes from ramekins and cut in half. Place 1 tablespoon of caramel sauce in the bottom of each ramekin. Put one half of the cake back into the ramekin and spoon another tablespoon of caramel on top. Place the top on the cake and spoon another tablespoon of caramel on top of the cake. Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes to melt the caramel into the cakes. Invert the ramekins onto a plate and serve with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.