Sticky Toffee Pudding

Method

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1. Put the chopped dates in a bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Leave 20 minutes — the mixture will foam and darken.

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2. Blitz the dates and their liquid to a rough purée with a stick blender.

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3. Cream the butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes until light, then beat in the eggs one at a time with a spoonful of the flour to stop it splitting.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

4. Fold in the remaining flour, salt and vanilla, then the warm date purée. The batter will look alarmingly loose — this is correct.

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5. Pour into a buttered 23 x 23 cm dish and bake at 180°C / 355°F for 32 to 36 minutes, until risen and springy and a skewer comes out clean.

   Mark done Start 32 min timer

6. For the sauce, melt the butter, sugar and treacle together in a pan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.

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7. Add the cream and bring to a simmer, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes until it thickens and turns glossy. Stir in the vanilla and flaky salt.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

8. Pierce the hot sponge all over with a skewer and pour a third of the sauce over it. Let it soak in for 10 minutes.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

9. Serve warm in squares with the remaining hot sauce poured over and cold cream alongside.

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Chef’s Tips

• Medjool dates give a far better result than dried Deglet Noor, which are drier and less caramelly.
• The salt in the sauce is not optional; it is what stops the whole thing being cloying.
• The sponge can be made a day ahead and reheated, covered, at 160°C for 15 minutes.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• No self-raising flour to hand? Use the same weight of plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150 g.

Pairing Suggestions

• A glass of Pedro Ximénez sherry or a tawny port
• Serve with cold pouring cream or vanilla ice cream
• Follows a roast dinner perfectly

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 4 days; the sauce keeps 2 weeks. Both freeze 3 months. Reheat the sponge covered and the sauce gently.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.