Sticky Toffee Pudding

Darien Cooks | written by: CAROLYN EDDIE

I think I may have already mentioned that Brits use the word pudding to mean all desserts. We do love our crumbles, tarts, mousses and tortes. However, we reserve a special place in our heart for what we term ‘proper puddings’—the desserts of our youth, often remembered from school lunches, with fabulous names like Spotted Dick or Jam Roly-poly. The most loved of them all though is
a Sticky Toffee Pudding. 

The origins of Sticky Toffee Pudding are disputed. Both the Sharrow Bay Hotel in the Lake District and the Udny Arms in the northeast of Scotland claim to have come up with the recipe.

Now the Udny Arms holds a special claim on me. It was where my husband proposed marriage. Alan asked ‘the question’ just after the main course. I was so shocked, I don’t think I even had any pudding that evening! The version I give here has its origins in the Lake District. The recipe comes from Delia Smith’s wonderful Christmas cookbook and is in turn credited to the late John Tovey, owner of the Miller Howe Hotel.

This dessert is a perfect for the holidays. If you want to be extra fancy, you can make it in eight lined ramekins and serve it as beautiful individual rounds. Or you can double the amount to serve a crowd. Reduce or add extra cooking time depending on the size you are making. It also freezes well.

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Ingredients

For the Pudding

• ¾ stick of softened butter
• ²/₃ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour or 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour plus 1 and ½ teaspoon baking powder sieved together
• 6 ounces of boiling water (²/₃ cup plus 2 teaspoons)
• 1 cup stoned dates, chopped
•  Heaped teaspoon of instant coffee
•  ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the Toffee Sauce 

•  1 and ½ cups soft brown sugar
•  1 and ½ sticks butter
•  9 Tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

For the Pudding

1. Preheat oven to 360°F 
2. Butter a medium casserole dish
3. Place the chopped dates in a bowl with the coffee and bicarbonate of soda then add  boiling water. Leave to cool slightly.
4. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter mixture and beat well. 
6. Fold in flour then add the date mixture.
7. Pour mixture into the casserole dish and bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The sponge is ready when it is brown, risen and set in the middle. When touched it should spring back.

For the Toffee Sauce

Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until sugar has melted and the sauce is bubbling.

Serve the Sticky Toffee Pudding warm with a generous amount of hot toffee sauce and either cream, ice cream, or clotted cream. Add strawberries and/or pecans for extra decadence. Serves 8.

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