Description
Indulge in a rich, self-saucing sticky toffee chocolate pudding that combines moist date-infused sponge with a luscious, chocolatey toffee sauce. This dessert is baked to perfection and served warm with creamy vanilla ice cream or custard, making it a perfect treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pudding
- 200g pitted medjool dates
- 100g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the dish
- 75g demerara sugar
- 75g dark brown soft sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 250g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Sauce
- 200ml double cream
- 75g unsalted butter, cubed
- 200g dark brown soft sugar
- 30g cocoa powder
- A big pinch of salt
- 300ml boiling water (for sauce)
Additional
- 300ml boiling water (for soaking dates)
- Vanilla ice cream or custard, to serve
Instructions
- Soak Dates: Place the pitted medjool dates in a bowl and pour over 300ml boiling water. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes until softened.
- Prepare Sauce: In a pan, combine double cream, cubed unsalted butter, dark brown soft sugar, cocoa powder, a big pinch of salt, and 300ml boiling water. Whisk the mixture over medium heat and let it simmer gently for 2 minutes. Pour the sauce into a jug and let it cool slightly.
- Make Date Puree: After soaking, use a hand blender to blitz the dates and soaking water until you achieve a smooth paste. Allow this to cool slightly.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Butter a deep 35 x 25cm baking dish thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix Batter: Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4). In a bowl, beat softened butter with both demerara and dark brown sugar for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Fold in plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Incorporate the date purée and then fold in the roughly chopped dark chocolate gently until evenly distributed.
- Assemble: Pour the prepared batter into the buttered baking dish and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon. Evenly pour the cooled chocolate sauce over the top of the batter.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pudding has risen and cooked through. Once done, allow the pudding to rest for 2 minutes.
- Serve: Serve the pudding warm topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or warm custard for an indulgent finish.
Notes
- Ensure the dates are thoroughly blended into a smooth paste for the best texture in the sponge.
- Use a deep baking dish as the pudding rises and the sauce bubbles during baking.
- Serving with vanilla ice cream or warm custard complements the rich chocolate and toffee flavors.
- Check the pudding with a skewer; it should come out mostly clean with some moist crumbs due to the sticky sauce inside.
- For a stronger chocolate flavor, use a high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: sticky toffee pudding, chocolate pudding, self-saucing pudding, dessert recipe, date pudding, rich dessert, British pudding
