James Martin Toffee Pudding is made with soft dates, dark muscovado sugar, butter, eggs, and a rich, buttery toffee sauce. The result is a light, sticky, and incredibly moist sponge cake that is utterly drenched in a warm butterscotch sauce. It is the perfect comforting, cold-weather dessert for a family dinner and serves 6-8 people.
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- James Martin Tomato And Red Pepper Soup
- James Martin Scones recipe
- James Martin Victoria sponge cake with raspberries
Why You Will Love This Toffee Pudding:
- Unbelievably Moist: The recipe uses a soaking method with dates and water, which guarantees the sponge is ultra-moist and soft—it will never be dry or crumbly.
- Deep, Dark Flavor: By using dark muscovado sugar and black treacle, this recipe achieves a deep, complex, dark caramel flavor that is far superior to desserts made with simple white sugar.
- Drenched in Sauce: This pudding is designed to be completely smothered. The sauce is rich, buttery, and glossy, making the dessert feel incredibly decadent and luxurious.
- Ultimate Comfort Food: Served warm, this pudding is the quintessential cozy treat. The familiar, comforting flavor of butterscotch and dates makes it the perfect ending to any family meal.
James Martin Toffee Pudding Ingredients
For the Sponge Pudding:
- 200g (1 1/4 cups) fresh dates, pitted and roughly chopped
- 250ml (1 cup) boiling water
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 75g (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 150g (3/4 cup) dark muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon black treacle (molasses)
- 175g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour (or plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Toffee Sauce:
- 200g (1 cup) dark muscovado sugar
- 150ml (2/3 cup) double cream (heavy cream)
- 50g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cubed
How To Make James Martin Toffee Pudding
- Prepare the dates: Place the chopped dates in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over them and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to soften the dates and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Cream the batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and muscovado sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the black treacle and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Combine the mixtures: Gently fold in the self-raising flour. Finally, pour in the date and water mixture (it will look liquid, but this is correct). Mix everything until just combined.
- Bake the pudding: Grease a deep 8×8-inch baking dish. Pour the batter into the dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the toffee sauce: While the pudding bakes, place all the sauce ingredients (muscovado sugar, double cream, and butter) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve drenched: Cut the warm pudding into squares. Place a square in a bowl, poke a few holes in it with a fork, and pour the warm toffee sauce generously over the top.
Recipe Tips
- Use Muscovado Sugar: Muscovado (or dark brown sugar) is key. Its high molasses content gives the sauce and sponge a deep, complex, dark caramel flavor that is essential for authentic toffee pudding.
- Don’t Drain the Dates: The water used to soak the dates, mixed with the bicarbonate of soda, is essential for the structure and moisture of the sponge. Do not pour it out!
- Bicarbonate of Soda: The baking soda reacts with the brown sugar/treacle, contributing to the pudding’s dark color and ensuring a light, soft sponge.
- Cold Butter Finish: While the recipe uses warm ingredients initially, you can achieve an extra glossy sauce by stirring a final pat of cold butter into the sauce at the end, off the heat.
What To Serve Toffee Pudding?
This warm dessert is always served with something cool and creamy to balance the richness it pairs perfectly with a generous pour of warm vanilla custard (crème anglaise) or a large scoop of high-quality vanilla bean ice cream for a classic British finish use a dollop of clotted cream or crème fraîche.
How To Store Leftovers Toffee Pudding?
- Refrigerate: Store the cooled sponge and the toffee sauce separately if possible keep them in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: The sponge freezes excellently. Wrap the cooled pudding tightly in plastic wrap and foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat in the oven or microwave.
How To Reheat Leftovers Toffee Pudding?
1. Reheating the Sponge (Pudding)
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- Oven (Recommended): Preheat your oven to $350^{circ}text{F}$ ($175^{circ}text{C}$). Place the serving in an ovenproof dish and splash a teaspoon of water or milk over the top. Cover tightly with foil to trap steam. Heat for 10–12 minutes.
- Microwave (Fastest): Place a serving in a bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and heat on high for 30–60 seconds, or until warm.
2. Reheating the Toffee Sauce
The sauce will solidify when cold, so it needs to be melted gently.
- Stovetop (Best): Pour the cold sauce into a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly until it is smooth and liquid again. If it is too thick, add a splash of heavy cream. Do not boil.
- Microwave: Heat the sauce in a microwave-safe jar or bowl for 30 seconds. Stir, and repeat if necessary, until liquid.
FAQs
Yes, you can substitute regular dark brown sugar for muscovado, but the flavor will be slightly less deep and complex.
This usually means the pudding was underbaked, or the oven temperature was opened too early. Ensure a clean skewer test before removing the pudding from the oven.
Yes you can make the sauce up to a week in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave before serving.
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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 Toffee Pudding
Course: Desserts, Breakfast, BrunchCuisine: American, BritishDifficulty: Easy6-8
servings20
minutes30
minutes580
kcalJames Martin Toffee Pudding is made with soft dates, dark muscovado sugar, butter, eggs, and a rich, buttery toffee sauce. The result is a light, sticky, and incredibly moist sponge cake that is utterly drenched in a warm butterscotch sauce. It is the perfect comforting, cold-weather dessert for a family dinner and serves 6-8 people.
Ingredients
200g (1 1/4 cups) fresh dates, pitted and roughly chopped
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
75g (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150g (3/4 cup) dark muscovado sugar (or dark brown sugar)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon black treacle (molasses)
175g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour (or plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Toffee Sauce:
200g (1 cup) dark muscovado sugar
150ml (2/3 cup) double cream (heavy cream)
50g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cubed
Directions
- Prepare the dates: Place the chopped dates in a bowl. Pour the boiling water over them and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes to soften the dates and allow the mixture to cool slightly.
- Cream the batter: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and muscovado sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the black treacle and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- Combine the mixtures: Gently fold in the self-raising flour. Finally, pour in the date and water mixture (it will look liquid, but this is correct). Mix everything until just combined.
- Bake the pudding: Grease a deep 8×8-inch baking dish. Pour the batter into the dish and spread it evenly. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Make the toffee sauce: While the pudding bakes, place all the sauce ingredients (muscovado sugar, double cream, and butter) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth. Simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
- Serve drenched: Cut the warm pudding into squares. Place a square in a bowl, poke a few holes in it with a fork, and pour the warm toffee sauce generously over the top.
Notes
- Use Muscovado Sugar: Muscovado (or dark brown sugar) is key. Its high molasses content gives the sauce and sponge a deep, complex, dark caramel flavor that is essential for authentic toffee pudding.
Don’t Drain the Dates: The water used to soak the dates, mixed with the bicarbonate of soda, is essential for the structure and moisture of the sponge. Do not pour it out!
Bicarbonate of Soda: The baking soda reacts with the brown sugar/treacle, contributing to the pudding’s dark color and ensuring a light, soft sponge.
Cold Butter Finish: While the recipe uses warm ingredients initially, you can achieve an extra glossy sauce by stirring a final pat of cold butter into the sauce at the end, off the heat.
