Sticky Toffee Pudding Ultimate

Method15 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Remove the stones and chop all the dates quite small. Put them in a bowl and pour the 175 ml boiling water over them. Soak for about thirty minutes, until cool and softened, then mash lightly with a fork, retaining all the soaking liquid.

   Soak dates until cool and softened · 30 minUses 225 g Medjool dates · 175 ml boiling water for dates

2. 2

   Step 2: Stir the vanilla (1 tsp) into all the soaked dates and their retained liquid. Grease and flour seven mini pudding tins, each about 200 ml, using the separate greasing butter and dusting flour. Put the tins on a baking sheet.

   Uses All soaked dates and their liquid · 1 tsp vanilla extract · Extra butter for greasing seven tins, as needed · Extra flour for dusting seven tins, as needed

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the oven to 180 °C / 160 °C fan/gas 4.

4. 4

   Step 4: Mix all the batter flour and bicarbonate of soda (1 tsp) in one bowl. Beat both eggs (2) in a separate bowl and keep the beaten eggs and flour mixture separate, ready for the batter.

   Uses 175 g self-raising flour for pudding batter · 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda · 2 eggs

5. 5

   Step 5: Beat the 85 g softened batter butter and all the demerara sugar (140 g) for a few minutes until slightly creamy; the sugar may leave it grainy. Add all the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions. Keep the prepared flour mixture for the next step.

   Uses 85 g softened butter for pudding batter · 140 g demerara sugar for pudding batter · All beaten eggs; retain the flour mixture separately

6. 6

   Step 6: Beat the two tablespoons batter treacle into the creamed base. With a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the prepared flour mixture, then half the milk. Fold in a second third of the flour, the remaining milk and finally the remaining flour, until all the measured flour mixture and milk are used. Avoid overbeating.

   Uses All creamed batter base · All retained flour-bicarbonate mixture, after the beaten eggs were used · 2 tbsp black treacle for pudding batter · 100 ml milk

7. 7

   Step 7: Stir all the vanilla-soaked dates and their retained liquid into the mixed pudding batter. The result should be soft and thick and may look slightly curdled.

   Uses All mixed pudding batter · All prepared vanilla dates with their soaking liquid

8. 8

   Step 8: Divide all the batter evenly among the seven prepared tins. Bake at 180 °C / 160 °C fan for twenty to twenty-five minutes, until risen and firm.

   Bake seven date puddings until firm · 25 minUses All prepared batter

9. 9

   Step 9: Meanwhile, put all the sauce muscovado sugar (175 g) and 50 g sauce butter in a medium saucepan with the first half of the double cream, 112.5 ml. Reserve the other 112.5 ml cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved.

   Uses 175 g muscovado sugar for toffee sauce · 50 g butter for toffee sauce · 112.5 ml double cream: first half of the 225 ml sauce stock

10. 10

    Step 10: Stir the one tablespoon sauce treacle into the boiling sauce. Let it bubble for two to three minutes until a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally so it does not burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in all the reserved second half of the cream, 112.5 ml.

    Bubble toffee sauce before adding reserved cream · 3 minUses All sauce in the pan · 1 tbsp black treacle for toffee sauce · 112.5 ml double cream: reserved second half

11. 11

    Step 11: Remove all seven baked puddings from the oven. Leave them in their tins for a few minutes, then loosen the sides with a small palette knife and turn them out carefully.

    Uses All seven baked puddings

12. 12

    Step 12: For the overnight sauce-soaked version, pour half of the complete toffee sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes large enough for all seven puddings.

    Uses First half of the complete prepared toffee sauce

13. 13

    Step 13: Sit all seven unmoulded puddings on the sauce and pour the remaining half of the sauce over them. Cover without smudging the tops, let steam escape briefly, then refrigerate promptly within two hours of cooking, or within one hour in temperatures above 32 °C / 90 °F. Keep refrigerated at 4 °C / 40 °F or colder overnight until the next day; do not leave this dairy-and-egg pudding at room temperature overnight.

    Uses All seven unmoulded puddings · All the sauce-lined dishes · Remaining half of the complete prepared toffee sauce

14. 14

    Step 14: When ready to serve the next day, heat the oven to 180 °C / 160 °C fan/gas 4. Reheat all the refrigerated, sauce-soaked puddings, still covered, for fifteen to twenty minutes as a guide. Continue until the sauce bubbles and the puddings are thoroughly hot, reaching 74 °C / 165 °F throughout; cold puddings may take longer.

    Reheat refrigerated puddings until thoroughly hot · 20 minUses All seven refrigerated sauce-soaked puddings in their dishes

15. 15

    Step 15: Serve the seven hot puddings with their toffee sauce. Add the optional scoop of ice cream (1 scoop) as desired, or serve plain.

    Uses All seven hot pudding portions with their sauce · 1 scoop ice cream for optional serving