Sticky toffee pudding recipe | Cake recipes & dessert recipes

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sticky toffee pudding

dessert recipes | serves 8
You are going to love this pudding – it has a rich, fantastic flavour and the sauce is amazing. Fresh Medjool dates are best to use, but dried ones work well too.

Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Put the dates in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and cover with 200ml/7fl oz of boiling water. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes to soften, then drain. Whiz the dates in a food processor until you have a purée. Meanwhile, cream your butter and sugar until pale using a wooden spoon, and add the eggs, flour, mixed spice, cinnamon and Ovaltine. Mix together well, then fold in the yoghurt and your puréed dates. Pour into a buttered, ovenproof dish and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.

While the pudding is cooking, make the toffee sauce by putting the butter, sugar and cream in a pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has thickened and darkened in colour. To serve, spoon out the pudding at the table and pour over the toffee sauce.

• from Jamie's Dinners

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ingredients

• 225g fresh dates, stoned
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 85g unsalted softened butter
• 170g caster sugar
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 170g self-raising flour
• ¼ teaspoon ground mixed spice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Ovaltine
• 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt

for the toffee sauce
• 115g unsalted butter
• 115g light muscovado sugar
• 140ml double cream

user comments

52 comments

1. Cristina Sun 31 Jan 2010 @ 19:20 I tried this out with dried dates, the pudding was quite light in colour compared to the photo. But it was great! The sticky toffee sauce was not as sticky as I thought it would be but it was still PURE YUM.

2. cindy Wed 30 Dec 2009 @ 05:04 recommend using instant coffee instead of ovaltine- def use the water and after baking, poke holes and pour half of the sauce and broil right before serving. i made it this week and was deicious (serve with whipped cream as well)

3. debbie Tue 27 Oct 2009 @ 13:37 the pudding worked a treat i put hot chocolate in it it was wonder full

4. Dawn Sun 11 Oct 2009 @ 16:51 This was rubbish. Followed the recipe to the letter and it would not cook in the middle. Cooked for a further 20 mins and still runny in middle. Perhaps I used the wrong sort of bowl (I used a pudding basin) It would help if the size of bowl was included in the recipe. Shame as I was taking it to a dinner party now I have to buy a dessert on the way.

5. Shiran Mon 14 Sep 2009 @ 11:19 Hi, I am an amateur baker so always full of questions... I was just wondering if you you need to make the sauce right before you are about to serve the dish or whether you can make it a few hours beforehand?

6. annonymum Fri 11 Sep 2009 @ 08:59 Does the cook need to be stoned or just the dates. If the latter, do they need to inhale AND if so how do you get them to do that??

7. tori Thu 27 Aug 2009 @ 23:30 I thought it was a really good dessert, but the title really needs to be changed. I served it at a family dinner party this evening, and although they all praised the dish, they did feel that it wasn't really a sticky toffee pudding, as it was not actually sticky. They felt that it was more of a date pudding.

8. Erin Sat 18 Jul 2009 @ 15:11 Tris, Goat's milk yogurt is still an animal product and hence not vegan!

9. Tris Mon 13 Jul 2009 @ 00:18 I very rarely leave comments, but after seeing these very useful ones thought I should.

This pudding came out excellently-everyone loved it and I'm definitely making it again. Do not drain the dates, keep the water, leaves it lovely and moist. I also didn't have Ovaltine, so didn't bother and it was completely fine.

Actually, I made this so that a vegan could it eat it as well. Amazingly, substituting goats milk yoghurt for the yoghurt and creme was fine, as was soya butter instead of normal butter. All of us who aren't vegan loved it, so go for it! Thanks Jamie.

10. bek Mon 06 Jul 2009 @ 23:28 I love this recipe! It was so fluffy and everyone loved it!

I actually didn't have ovaltine either, so i just didnt put it in... And it turned out great!

And I prefer the dates chunky.. so I didn't blend them up. Just a preference thing.

11. Bonnie, from Canada Tue 19 May 2009 @ 02:17 I have tried this recipe from your recipe book and it was amazing. I was so excited when I saw it wasn't a steamed pudding. I always try and find a pub for supper that serve this desert when I am in England, with thick cream and a cup of tea. I followed your recipe except I bake it in muffin tins so the servings are all the same size, and I can freeze them separately for a bit and it makes a nice presentation as well with the toffee sauce. very easy to make.

12. daniel o\'dowd Tue 12 May 2009 @ 09:58 I am a professional chef by trade and i found this a very good recipe indeed.. I used seedless raisins instead if dates and i found the results equaly as good and the flavour even better! Gets top marks everytime..

13. Shannon Sat 18 Apr 2009 @ 16:57 never in my life had one but my mom says it is very nice, soooooooooooooo i'm gonna try it out! i love cooking and cooking challenges, i am 14 and i have been baking since i was about 5 and i have never stopped since!!! i love reading all the different cooking websites but this is so far the best! is this good for a cold day??? coz' here in cape town it's soon gonna be winter.....

14. melanie Thu 16 Apr 2009 @ 12:51 when I print this recipe the ingredients don't print out

15. Carolyn Thu 02 Apr 2009 @ 01:00 what is medjool sugar and can i use milo instead of ovaltine

16. Dawn Thu 19 Mar 2009 @ 20:06 For those wanting the size/shape bowl to use, I have just measured mine - it is a pudding basin, 18 cm in width and 10cm in depth. I think it was classed as a medium sized pudding basin in a big supermarket which name begins with the letter T! There is quite a lot of mixture, so I wouldn't use anything smaller.

17. tinerua Thu 12 Mar 2009 @ 17:18 For those of you who dont know whether or not to drain the dates and think its a typo....

Ive made this recipe countless times for my family and for dinner parties and every time I do, I always drain the dates. The baking soda is added simply to help soften the dates to make them easier to puree. I'm intrigued that some on this board have done the recipe using the water however, as Ive always found the cake to be incredibly moist without the water. (I think the point of the recipe is to not have an overly moist cake so that it soaks up all the lovely toffee sauce better.) Maybe ill give it a go! Either way, the whole purpose of the baking soda is to soften the dates, so I dont believe its a typo that Jamie O says to drain them.

18. anna Tue 03 Mar 2009 @ 12:58 looks great !!!!!

19. Nick Thu 26 Feb 2009 @ 00:59 This sponge is fantastic...
in the states I cannot get double cream, so I use heavy or whipping cream for the sauce...

As far as pan dimensions goes.... a bundt or loaf pan (standard sizes) works great...

you are meant to use the soaking liquer of dates to puree them...

you can indeed make the sponge in advance an refridgerate up to 2 days or freeze in tightly wrapped pkg but I assure you fresh is best!

I have been making this for years and adore it... someday I will splurge on the double devon cream... but my recipe tweaks taste great all the same

20. isabelle Fri 20 Feb 2009 @ 07:13 Is anyone going to tell us what size/shape dish to use?

21. lauren green Mon 16 Feb 2009 @ 16:35 i like your ideas jamie oliver but im sure you know that most of them dont taste as great as you say so and they dont taste that good aswell

your sincerly laurengreen

22. Joe Goldstrong Sun 15 Feb 2009 @ 04:13 Instead of water use fresh orange juice, much nicer taste.

23. Denise Tue 27 Jan 2009 @ 13:51 What size dish do I roughly need for this recipe.
Also, I noticed a comment above mentioned that you need to puree the dates with some water. Is this correct or do I need to actually drain them?

24. Shell Tue 20 Jan 2009 @ 19:21 Double cream is nowhere to be found here in Holland... anybody got any ideas of something else that I can use, or even another idea for a toffee sauce?

25. Charlie-Rose Sun 18 Jan 2009 @ 21:36 I can't stand dates im afraid!! :)
is there something else i can use?

26. jens Sun 18 Jan 2009 @ 20:26 u cn use cocoa insted if u want

27. Dawn Fri 02 Jan 2009 @ 17:57 Because I cannot eat anything with cocoa in, I left out the ovaltine altogether. I was worried it would be too wet with all the water left in as suggested, so I drained off half of it before blending the dates and it turned out very light and moist.

There was also some pudding left over the next day and it was just as nice, a lovely dessert. Has anyone added sultanas to the receipe?

28. TJ Fri 26 Dec 2008 @ 09:57 Will definately make this again, everyone loved it yesterday. Definately typo in recepie as you don't drain dates you blend with water in.

29. June Wed 24 Dec 2008 @ 08:11 Can anyone give any tips as to what size dish this needs to be cooked in please? Either in actual dimensions or how much liquid it holds......

30. Elizabeth Tue 23 Dec 2008 @ 21:04 I made this last year for Christmas and it was amazing. I made it 2 days before and warmed it for Christmas dinner. I will be making it tonight for this years dinner too!

31. cliodhna Wed 17 Dec 2008 @ 11:51 is is great ! :)

32. Ms. J Tue 16 Dec 2008 @ 17:56 I was thinking of bringing this to a dinner party. Can the pudding be made the day before and reheated? Can the sauce be made the day before or should it be made immediately before serving?
Thanks for any tips.

33. Philip Wed 10 Dec 2008 @ 20:50 I made this for my kids they thought it was gorgeous

Thanks for the recipe

34. Philip Wed 10 Dec 2008 @ 20:49 I made this for my kids they thought it was gorgeous

Thanks for the recipe

35. theo Sun 07 Dec 2008 @ 22:04 this is very good, medjool date are just fresh date and if you can't fined Ovaltine use coco and it's just as good :) hope this helps

36. Maggie Sun 07 Dec 2008 @ 10:57 I tried out this recipe today, it turn out excellent ;-)

37. john_lee Fri 05 Dec 2008 @ 16:47 Further to Alison Mott's comment, I think that there is a typo - I tried NOT draining the dates on my second attempt and whizzing them up with the soaking liquor and bicarb, and I ended up with a much moister, better risen cake.

38. xcathyx Tue 02 Dec 2008 @ 20:32 hey
looks brill!!!

39. holly Sun 30 Nov 2008 @ 20:30 isa verry nica spica

40. Kait Thu 20 Nov 2008 @ 01:58 alia, Medjool refers to the type of date and I think possibly where it's grown. They're wonderful whatever it means! ^_^ Keep up the good work Jamie! You're amazing!

41. liz Fri 17 Oct 2008 @ 21:50 Jamie. As a fellow Essex person, you can do no wrong in my eyes mate. Your recipes are great (I use them all the time), from way back when you were just a runt. Naked Chef ring any bells? Keep up all the good work you are doing. And don't let the b#s###ds get you down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

42. Alison Mott Wed 15 Oct 2008 @ 17:06 Just wondering if there is a typo in this recipe?
Why do you drain away the water that is so carefully measured and the bicarb.? I thought the mixture was very dry so liquidized the dates with the water and bicarb and the pudding was lovely and light and moist.
Was i right or just a fluke?
Alison xx

43. aprilsfool Wed 15 Oct 2008 @ 11:08 Can I use Milo instead??

44. jak Sun 12 Oct 2008 @ 18:58 yaaaaaay

45. mary Sat 11 Oct 2008 @ 21:08 We know this as the Queen Mother's favourite pudding.

46. Ayesha Sat 04 Oct 2008 @ 09:05 In pplace of Ovaltine you can use any other malted choclate drink powder. Make sure its dark tho

47. michelle Wed 01 Oct 2008 @ 17:11 looks very nice, i shall have a go at making it!!! wish me luck :-)

48. Audrey Wed 01 Oct 2008 @ 11:08 I love the recipe, In Australia we call it Sticky Date Pudding there is no Ovaltine in it though but will try it.

49. Zandra Wed 01 Oct 2008 @ 07:45 The recipe looks great but I live in Greece and can't get Ovaltine. What else can I use?

50. Cheryl Wed 01 Oct 2008 @ 05:52 I'm sorry, but Ovaltine is not an ingredient ready to hand. What else can I use?

51. alia Wed 01 Oct 2008 @ 00:49 ill try it but what does medjool means??

52. amber Tue 30 Sep 2008 @ 14:42 looksss nice lol