Sticky Toffee Pudding — The Classic English Dessert With Hot Caramel

Ingredients (8 servings)

For the pudding:

• 200 g pitted dates, finely chopped
• 250 ml boiling water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 75 g soft butter (plus extra for greasing the pan)
• 150 g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 175 g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

For the toffee sauce:

• 150 g butter
• 200 g brown sugar
• 200 ml heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 pinch of salt

To serve: vanilla ice cream

Preparation steps

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease a baking pan (about 20×20 cm) with butter and line with baking paper.
2. Place the chopped dates in a bowl, pour in the boiling water and baking soda; let soften for 10 minutes, then mash with a fork into a puree.
3. Beat the soft butter with the brown sugar until creamy; add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla, beating well.
4. Mix the flour with the baking powder and salt; add to the butter mixture, alternating with the date puree, and stir until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 30–35 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Meanwhile prepare the sauce: melt the butter with the brown sugar over medium heat, add the heavy cream, vanilla and salt; simmer 3–4 minutes, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.
7. Poke the hot pudding’s surface with a fork and pour half the sauce over it; let rest 5 minutes to absorb.
8. Serve warm, with the remaining hot sauce on top and a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside.

Prep time: 20 minutes. Baking time: 35 minutes. Servings: 8.