The Best Ever Sticky Toffee Pudding (in my opinion!)

I’m a huge fan of Sticky Toffee Pudding and if I see it on the Menu when eating out, it’s the one dessert I’m most likely to go for!  However, I am fussy about what I want in my perfect pudding – above all it must not be a dry sponge! I don’t like it too dark and I don’t like the sauce either too runny or too bitter.  I’m hard to please, I know 🙂

This recipe, I think fulfils every requirement and it is so easy.  Sticky Toffee Pudding is real comfort food and perfect for Autumn and Winter evenings so I encourage you to give it a go!!  It is also a great dish for entertaining as it can be made ahead of time and heats perfectly

Makes:  5 (using a 180ml dariole mould or approx 9 if using a Muffin Tin)

Ingredients:

PUDDINGS:

120g Dried Dates
180ml Water
40g Butter
120g Light Brown Sugar
1 Teasp Vanilla Extract
1 Large Egg (or 2 small)
2 Tablspns Treacle
1 Tablspn Golden Syrup
100g Plain Flour
1 Teasp Baking Powder
½ Teasp Baking Soda (Bread Soda)

TOFFEE SAUCE:

120ml Cream
60g Butter
60g Light Brown Sugar
1 Tablspn Treacle
2 Tablspns Golden Syrup
2 Teasps Vanilla Extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC (Fan 160ºC) , 350ºF or Gas Mark 4
2. Grease your moulds with butter or spray oil (as I use)
3. Place the dates and water in a saucepan.  Bring to the boil and then simmer for        2 minutes.  Set aside.
4. Using your food mixer or a hand-held electric whisk, cream together the butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract
5. Add in the egg(s) and mix until well incorporated
6. Add in the treacle and golden syrup and mix again
7. Sieve together the flour and baking powder and then tip in to the wet mix and beat again until combined.
8. Place the dates along with the water used to heat them and the baking soda (bread soda) in a food processor and blend until pureed.
9. Tip this into the batter and mix one final time until smooth.
10. Distribute evenly between your greased moulds (fill just over ¾ way up) and cook in the pre-heated oven for 15 – 20 mins.  Check after about 12 mins and if springy to the touch or if a skewer comes out clean then remove from the oven.  Leave in their tins while you make the sauce
11. Sauce:  Place all of the ingredients for it in a saucepan.  Warm over a low heat until melted and then turn up to a rolling boil for 2 mins to thicken.
12. Serve puddings while warm
13. Pour over the warm sauce and top with either whipped double cream or vanilla  ice-cream

Note:
You can of course, make it ahead of time and just before serving, place your puddings in a dish, top with some of the sauce and cover with foil before warming in the oven