Sticky Toffee Pudding
A beloved British dessert of moist date sponge cake drenched in a warm, buttery toffee sauce. Comforting, intensely flavored, and best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- 8 oz pitted Medjool dates, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (for sauce)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup dark brown sugar (for sauce), packed
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
-
1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
-
2
Place 8 oz roughly chopped pitted Medjool dates in a bowl. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over them and stir in 1 tsp baking soda. Let soak for 10 minutes, then mash or blend to a rough puree.
-
3
In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
-
4
Fold in 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 tsp baking powder until just combined, then fold in the date mixture.
-
5
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-
6
While the cake bakes, make the toffee sauce: melt 1/2 cup unsalted butter (for sauce) in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup packed dark brown sugar (for sauce) and stir until dissolved.
-
7
Add 1 cup heavy cream and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for 3-4 minutes until thickened to a sauce consistency.
-
8
When the pudding comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the surface with a skewer and pour about half the toffee sauce over it. Let soak for 5 minutes.
-
9
Slice and serve warm with the remaining toffee sauce drizzled on top.