Sticky Toffee Pudding
by Nigella. Featured in AT MY TABLEIntroduction
There is very little that can compare with the glory of a sticky toffee pudding. My STP is altogether deeper and darker than the original version: it is still sweet, but the muscovado sugar and black treacle give it an almost savage intensity.
It shouldn’t be eaten piping hot, but warm: once the sponge has been topped with a glaze of the sauce you should leave it for 30 minutes before serving, though you can easily leave it for up to an hour. I recommend serving this with the Salted Caramel Ice Cream — in fact, I positively urge you to. (And for Christmas, I suggest the brandified version.) The combination is truly joyous.
You will find it easier to measure the treacle if you dip the spoon into boiling water or run it under the hot tap first.
There is very little that can compare with the glory of a sticky toffee pudding. My STP is altogether deeper and darker than the original version: it is still sweet, but the muscovado sugar and black treacle give it an almost savage intensity.
It shouldn’t be eaten piping hot, but warm: once the sponge has been topped with a glaze of the sauce you should leave it for 30 minutes before serving, though you can easily leave it for up to an hour. I recommend serving this with the Salted Caramel Ice Cream — in fact, I positively urge you to. (And for Christmas, I suggest the brandified version.) The combination is truly joyous.
You will find it easier to measure the treacle if you dip the spoon into boiling water or run it under the hot tap first.
Ingredients
Makes: 9 generous slabs
For the sponge
- 200 grams soft dried pitted dates (roughly chopped)
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 75 grams soft unsalted butter (plus more for greasing)
- 2 x 15ml tablespoons black treacle
- 50 grams dark muscovado sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 150 grams plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
For the sauce
- 150 grams soft unsalted butter
- 300 grams dark muscovado sugar
- 1 x 15ml tablespoon black treacle
- 200 millilitres double cream (plus more to serve)
For the sponge
- 7 ounces soft dried pitted dates (roughly chopped)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 5 tablespoons soft unsalted butter (plus more for greasing)
- 2 tablespoons black molasses
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
For the sauce
- 10 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 1½ cups dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon black molasses
- ¾ cup heavy cream (plus more to serve)
Method
You will need 1 x approx 23cm / 9-inch square baking dish
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F and lightly grease your dish. Put the chopped dates, 200ml/¾ cup of boiling water and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl, give a stir and then leave for 10 minutes.
- Cream the butter and black treacle until well mixed, then add the sugar and mix again, beating out any lumps. Beat in an egg and keep beating — scraping down as necessary — until completely incorporated, then do likewise with the other egg. Beating more gently, add the flour and baking powder until you have a smooth, thick batter.
- Using a fork, stir the soaked dates, squishing them a bit, then pour the dates and their liquid into the batter and beat gently to mix in.
- Pour and scrape into your prepared dish or cake tin and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- While the pudding's in the oven, you can make the sauce. Melt the butter, muscovado sugar and treacle over a very low heat in a heavy-based saucepan. Once the butter's melted, stir gently until everything else is melted too. Now stir in the cream, then turn up the heat and when it's bubbling and hot, take it off the heat.
- As soon as it's out of the oven, prick the cooked sponge pudding all over with a cocktail stick and pour about a quarter of the warm sauce over, easing it to the edges with a spatula so that the sponge is entirely topped with a thick sticky glaze. Put a lid on the remaining sauce in the pan to keep it warm.
- Leave for 20-30 minutes, or up to an hour is fine, then take to the table, with the rest of the sauce in a jug, and cream to serve.
You will need 1 x approx 23cm / 9-inch square baking dish
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F and lightly grease your dish. Put the chopped dates, 200ml/¾ cup of boiling water and baking soda into a bowl, give a stir and then leave for 10 minutes.
- Cream the butter and black molasses until well mixed, then add the sugar and mix again, beating out any lumps. Beat in an egg and keep beating — scraping down as necessary — until completely incorporated, then do likewise with the other egg. Beating more gently, add the flour and baking powder until you have a smooth, thick batter.
- Using a fork, stir the soaked dates, squishing them a bit, then pour the dates and their liquid into the batter and beat gently to mix in.
- Pour and scrape into your prepared dish or cake tin and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- While the pudding's in the oven, you can make the sauce. Melt the butter, muscovado sugar and treacle over a very low heat in a heavy-based saucepan. Once the butter's melted, stir gently until everything else is melted too. Now stir in the cream, then turn up the heat and when it's bubbling and hot, take it off the heat.
- As soon as it's out of the oven, prick the cooked sponge pudding all over with a cocktail stick and pour about a quarter of the warm sauce over, easing it to the edges with a spatula so that the sponge is entirely topped with a thick sticky glaze. Put a lid on the remaining sauce in the pan to keep it warm.
- Leave for 20-30 minutes, or up to an hour is fine, then take to the table, with the rest of the sauce in a jug, and cream to serve.
Additional Information
MAKE AHEAD/STORE:
Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, covered tightly with cling film, for up to 5 days. Store the sponge and extra sauce separately. Reheat sauce gently in a saucepan. The sponge can be reheated on low power in a microwave for 1-2 minutes according to the manufacturer's instructions.
MAKE AHEAD/STORE:
Refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible, covered tightly with cling film, for up to 5 days. Store the sponge and extra sauce separately. Reheat sauce gently in a saucepan. The sponge can be reheated on low power in a microwave for 1-2 minutes according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Show more commentsThis was delicious. I would have sent a photo but I couldn’t resist eating it so it looks a bit mangled.
Amazingly easy and scrumptious dessert. I made for the first time over the Christmas holidays for family of 10. Everyone loved it plus there was plenty of sauce. When people praise my cooking/baking, my response is ‘Nigella’s recipe’. Thank you for sharing with us
I have made this about 3 times now , recently over Christmas for a crowd . I didn’t have a scrap left , I love how much toffee sauce it makes too ! I always make Nigellas desserts recipes, they never fail me and it’s sorta become now if a shop brought dessert is on offer or one of nigellas which I’ve made , You can guarantee mine is the one that will get eaten ! Thankyou nigella!
My Canadian in-laws LOVE this dessert! I started making this for Christmas dinner dessert 3 years ago and it's what the entire family requests every year I make for Christmas. Black treacle can be quite hard to come by hear in Canada so I have subbed it with molasses and it works just as well! Heavenly, Thank you!
This was the easiest and most delicious desert ever. The black treacle and dark muscovado sugar have a licorice undertone that is deep and rich in flavour, yet the sponge is so light. I made the day before and warmed in the microvave, heated the sauce on the hob and it was perfect... I will be making it for Christmas lunch next year and probably inbetween. Thank you Nigella x
To die for Nigella! I think I’m in love as this pudding is off the scale, in fact it’s off the planet. Your cooking is just amazing got to say it! You make cooking not just great but sexy - queen of cooking brings luxury to the masses. Thank you lovely lady.
I made this as part my partners birthday meal , It’s truly divine and went down a storm ! I also love how much sauce It makes ! I always use nigellas recipes and people are prob sick of me raving about them but they work and taste truly divine ! Thankyou again nigella !
First time I've ever made STP and it's absolutely delicious! Rich but not heavy. We had it with creme fraiche instead of cream. Will be making this again, for sure!
It took me a while to make this recipe because I was convinced that I already had the perfect STP. How wrong I was! As ever, Nigella’s version comes out on top! The cake has an incredibly light texture and the addition of the molasses gives the whole thing a necessary edge. On top of that, this version is much easier to make. This is perfect any time, but it is extra special as dessert on Christmas night.
Delicious every single time. Great and simple recipe. Also, if needed you can substitute 1:1 the following Treacle - Mollases Dates - Date Paste Muscovado Sugar - DARK Brown Sugar
Might taste slightly different from the original, but still blimmin lovely.
On the days where everything feels small and big at once, where the colours have mushed together to make black, and effort is the straw that breaks the camels back... This pudding brings meaning back and makes it all worth it. Divorce? So what. Pudding. Hate your job? Sticky. Rain won't stop? Toffee. It's not easy to make, it's understandable. Its fun. It fills the house with joy and sweet and delight. I'm so happy I found this, and so is everyone in my life!❤️
This was absolutely divine!!!!! My first attempt making it, such an easy and quick but incredible recipe! I baked this a few hours before my guests arrived, cut it up, heated the sauce and it was delicious. STP was always my go to but this has to be way better than all the ones I’ve had eating out. I may add an earl grey teabag to the boiling water to see if that makes it even better