Sticky Toffee Pudding (Printable)

Moist dates and caramelized toffee blend in a classic British dessert with creamy, indulgent sauce.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pudding

01 - 8 oz pitted dates, chopped
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1 tsp baking soda
04 - 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
08 - 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
09 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ Toffee Sauce

10 - 1 cup light brown sugar
11 - 7 tbsp unsalted butter
12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.
02 - Place chopped dates in a bowl, pour boiling water over them, add baking soda, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes.
03 - In a large bowl, cream unsalted butter and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract.
05 - Fold in self-raising flour and salt gently until just combined.
06 - Stir softened dates along with their soaking liquid into the batter until smooth.
07 - Pour batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - While pudding bakes, combine brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth. Simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt.
09 - When pudding is done, poke holes all over top with a skewer. Pour half of the warm toffee sauce over it and let soak for 10 minutes.
10 - Serve pudding warm, drizzled with the remaining toffee sauce.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • That feeling when you pull it from the oven and the whole house smells like toffee and honey, like you've unlocked a secret that bakeries guard jealously
  • The pudding itself stays impossibly moist while the sauce creates this magic moment of absorption that turns each bite into pure indulgence
  • It's elegant enough for dinner guests but straightforward enough that you won't stress yourself in the kitchen
02 -
  • The pudding will seem slightly underbaked when it comes out of the oven, and that's exactly right—it's the toffee sauce soaking in that creates the final texture, not additional baking time
  • Double cream is not negotiable in the sauce; if you use single cream or milk, you'll end up with a mixture that's either too thin or grainy rather than silky and luxurious
  • Timing your pudding to come out of the oven when guests arrive is the ultimate power move—serving it warm while the sauce is still at that perfect glossy consistency makes all the difference
03 -
  • If your sauce breaks or becomes grainy while cooking, remove it from heat immediately and whisk in a tablespoon of cold cream—this usually brings it back to silky perfection
  • The secret that changed my pudding forever: pricking the pudding while it's still in the baking dish rather than after removing it ensures the sauce soaks into every single layer, not just the top

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