Description
This Slow Cooker Sticky Toffee Pudding is a comforting British dessert featuring moist date sponge soaked in a rich toffee sauce. Cooked gently in a slow cooker, it develops deep flavors and a tender texture, perfect when served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Pudding
- 250g pitted dates, chopped
- 100g butter, plus extra for greasing
- 4 tbsp treacle
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250g light brown soft sugar
- 300ml double cream
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/4 tsp salt (plus pinch for sauce)
To Serve
- Vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Soak the Dates: Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl. Pour over 150ml boiling water and allow them to soak for 30 minutes until softened.
- Prepare the Pudding Basin: Butter a 1-liter pudding basin thoroughly and line the base with baking parchment to prevent sticking.
- Make the Toffee Sauce (Part 1): In a pan over medium heat, combine half the butter, half the treacle, vanilla extract, 75g of the brown sugar, and half of the double cream. Stir continuously for 4-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat and gently bubble the mixture for 3 minutes, then add a pinch of salt, whisking well. Pour one-third of this toffee sauce into the prepared pudding basin.
- Make the Pudding Batter: Beat together the remaining butter, treacle, remaining sugar, and eggs in a bowl until smooth and combined. Carefully fold in the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, ¼ tsp salt, the soaked dates along with their soaking liquid, ensuring an even mixture.
- Assemble and Cover: Spoon the pudding batter into the pudding basin over the poured toffee sauce and smooth the surface, leaving about 1cm gap at the top for expansion. Cover the basin tightly with a double layer of baking parchment and foil, creating a pleat in the center for the pudding to rise. Secure with kitchen string.
- Cook in Slow Cooker: Set your slow cooker to low heat. Place the pudding basin inside and pour boiling water around it until it reaches halfway up the basin sides. Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook for 7-8 hours, allowing the pudding to steam to perfection.
- Serve: Once cooked, carefully run a knife around the edge of the pudding to loosen it. Turn the pudding out onto a serving plate. Reheat the reserved toffee sauce and pour generously over the pudding. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for a classic finish.
Notes
- Ensure the pudding basin is well sealed with parchment and foil to prevent water from getting inside during slow cooking.
- The long cooking time in the slow cooker allows the pudding to become incredibly moist and tender.
- Leftover pudding can be refrigerated and gently reheated before serving.
- If you don’t have treacle, you can substitute with dark molasses or golden syrup, but it will change the flavor slightly.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Sticky Toffee Pudding, Slow Cooker Dessert, British Pudding, Date Pudding, Toffee Sauce
