James Martin Sticky Toffee Pudding

James Martin Sticky Toffee Pudding is made with soft dates, dark muscovado sugar, black treacle, butter, fresh eggs, and self-raising flour. The result is an incredibly moist, dark sponge cake smothered in a hot, bubbling butterscotch sauce. It is the ultimate British comfort dessert, perfect for a Sunday lunch or a cozy holiday treat, and makes enough to serve a hungry family of six.

Why You Will Love This Sticky Toffee Pudding:

• Ultra-Moist Sponge: The secret to this recipe is soaking the dates in boiling water and adding all that liquid to the batter. This guarantees the cake is incredibly soft and never dry.
• Deep, Complex Flavor: By using dark muscovado sugar and black treacle (molasses), this pudding has a rich, caramel-like depth that regular white sugar cannot achieve. It isn’t just sweet; it is earthy and luxurious.
• Forgiving and Rustic: This isn’t a dessert that needs to look perfect. It is meant to be a bit messy, scooped out of a dish, and drowning in sauce. You don’t need fancy decorating skills to make it look delicious.
• Great for Freezing: This is one of the few desserts that freezes perfectly. You can make a double batch, eat one now, and save the other for a future dinner party.

James Martin Sticky Toffee Pudding Ingredients

For the Sponge:

• 200g (1 1/4 cups) fresh dates, pitted and chopped
• 250ml (1 cup) boiling water
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 75g (1/3 cup) butter, softened
• 150g (3/4 cup) dark brown soft sugar (muscovado)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon black treacle (molasses)
• 175g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Toffee Sauce:

• 200g (1 cup) dark brown soft sugar (muscovado)
• 150ml (2/3 cup) double cream (heavy cream)
• 50g (1/4 cup) butter, cubed

How To Make James Martin Sticky Toffee Pudding

1. Prepare the dates: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Put the chopped dates in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to soften.
2. Cream the butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and the dark brown sugar together until the mixture is creamy and pale.
3. Add wet ingredients: Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the black treacle (molasses) and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Combine the batter: Fold in the flour gently. Then, pour in the date and water mixture (it will look very liquid, but this is normal). Stir until everything is just combined.
5. Bake the pudding: Grease a square baking dish (approx 8×8 inches). Pour the batter into the dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the sponge is risen and firm to the touch.
6. Make the sauce: While the pudding bakes, place the sauce ingredients (sugar, cream, butter) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens slightly.
7. Serve: Cut the warm sponge into squares. Pour the hot toffee sauce generously over the top and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

• Use Muscovado Sugar: James Martin recommends using dark muscovado sugar rather than regular brown sugar. It has a higher molasses content, which gives the pudding that deep, rich, toffee flavor.
• Don’t Drain the Dates: You must use the water the dates soaked in. This liquid contains the bicarbonate of soda and the date syrup, which is essential for the moist texture of the sponge.
• Checking Doneness: To check if the sponge is done, press the center gently with your finger. If it springs back, it is ready. If your finger leaves a dent, it needs a few more minutes.
• Sauce Consistency: If the sauce looks too thin, keep simmering it gently. However, remember it will thicken more as it cools, so don’t let it turn into hard candy in the pan.

What To Serve With Sticky Toffee Pudding?

This dessert is very sweet, so it needs something creamy to cut through the sugar It is traditionally served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, which creates a delicious hot-cold contrast. Alternatively, serve it with a jug of warm custard or a dollop of unsweetened clotted cream.

How To Store Leftovers Sticky Toffee Pudding?

• Refrigerate: Store the sponge and the sauce separately if possible. Keep them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: The sponge freezes beautifully. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. The sauce can also be frozen in a jar. Thaw both in the fridge overnight before reheating.

How To Reheat Leftovers Sticky Toffee Pudding?

• In the Oven (Best for the Whole Dish) Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. The foil traps the moisture inside so the sponge doesn’t dry out heat for 10 to 15 minutes until the center is hot.
• In the Microwave (Best for Individual Portions) Pour a little extra sauce (or a splash of heavy cream) over it heat on high for 30 to 60 seconds. The sponge will become fluffy and the sauce will be bubbling hot.

FAQs

Can I use dried dates for Sticky Toffee Pudding?

Yes, dried dates (like Medjool) are actually preferred for this recipe. Just ensure you remove the pits. The boiling water rehydrates them perfectly.

What if I don’t have self-raising flour?

You can make your own for every cup of all-purpose flour, add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

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Why did my Sticky Toffee Pudding sink?

This usually happens if the oven door was opened too early during baking or if the batter sat out too long before going into the oven (the bicarbonate of soda starts reacting immediately, so you need to bake it quickly).

Sticky Toffee Pudding Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 square with sauce

• Calories: 580 kcal
• Total Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 17g
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Sodium: 320mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 78g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 62g
• Protein: 5g

James Martin Sticky Toffee Pudding

Recipe by Ella ThompsonCourse: Dessert, Breakfast, BrunchCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

580

kcal

James Martin Sticky Toffee Pudding is made with soft dates, dark muscovado sugar, black treacle, butter, fresh eggs, and self-raising flour. The result is an incredibly moist, dark sponge cake smothered in a hot, bubbling butterscotch sauce. It is the ultimate British comfort dessert, perfect for a Sunday lunch or a cozy holiday treat, and makes enough to serve a hungry family of six.

Ingredients

• For the Sponge:

• 200g (1 1/4 cups) fresh dates, pitted and chopped

• 250ml (1 cup) boiling water

• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

• 75g (1/3 cup) butter, softened

• 150g (3/4 cup) dark brown soft sugar (muscovado)

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tablespoon black treacle (molasses)

• 175g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• For the Toffee Sauce:

• 200g (1 cup) dark brown soft sugar (muscovado)

• 150ml (2/3 cup) double cream (heavy cream)

• 50g (1/4 cup) butter, cubed

Directions

• Prepare the dates: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Put the chopped dates in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to soften.
• Cream the butter: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and the dark brown sugar together until the mixture is creamy and pale.
• Add wet ingredients: Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the black treacle (molasses) and vanilla extract until combined.
• Combine the batter: Fold in the flour gently. Then, pour in the date and water mixture (it will look very liquid, but this is normal). Stir until everything is just combined.
• Bake the pudding: Grease a square baking dish (approx 8×8 inches). Pour the batter into the dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the sponge is risen and firm to the touch.
• Make the sauce: While the pudding bakes, place the sauce ingredients (sugar, cream, butter) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and darkens slightly.
• Serve: Cut the warm sponge into squares. Pour the hot toffee sauce generously over the top and serve immediately.

Notes

• Use Muscovado Sugar: James Martin recommends using dark muscovado sugar rather than regular brown sugar. It has a higher molasses content, which gives the pudding that deep, rich, toffee flavor.
  Don’t Drain the Dates: You must use the water the dates soaked in. This liquid contains the bicarbonate of soda and the date syrup, which is essential for the moist texture of the sponge.
  Checking Doneness: To check if the sponge is done, press the center gently with your finger. If it springs back, it is ready. If your finger leaves a dent, it needs a few more minutes.
  Sauce Consistency: If the sauce looks too thin, keep simmering it gently. However, remember it will thicken more as it cools, so don’t let it turn into hard candy in the pan.