A British classic: Sticky Toffee Pudding

There is something wonderfully comforting about hot pudding paired with ice cream or custard and a rich toffee sauce

KARACHI: There is something just wonderfully comforting about hot pudding paired with ice cream or custard and a rich toffee sauce. I usually go to this dessert abandoning all worldly concerns purely to indulge myself and be comforted by the warm rich moist deliciousness of this date pudding.

Whether it’s a rainy day a wintry night or a summer lunch, it fits the table on all occasion and satisfies whoever approaches it with complete abandon!

Yes, sticky toffee pudding is that kind of dessert which  just lights you up with joy as you take the first bite and compels you to take the second and third and so on.

Here’s the wonderful recipe that I use.

Ingredients:

Pudding

3 cups boiling water
225 grams dates
170 grams self-raising flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs (medium sized)
85 grams butter – softened
120 grams light brown sugar
4 tablespoons full of dark brown sugar
100 ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Toffee sauce

75 grams butter
120 grams cream
100 grams sugar

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.
Soak the dates in boiling water for thirty minutes.
Combine the flour with the bicarbonate of soda and keep aside
Beat the cream and sugar together, until pale and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla essence and beat until smooth.
Now add the flour mixture a little at a time while beating along with the milk.
The batter should be smooth but not too runny.
Drain and chop the dates and fold into the batter using a spatula or wooden spoon. Don’t over mix.
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes and remove from the oven.

PHOTO: Sumayia Asif

Toffee sauce

Heat the butter sugar and cream in a saucepan and simmer for a few minutes until takes on a darker color. Taste and remove from heat

Assembly

Invert the puddings on a plate and pour over the delicious toffee sauce. Top with a generous dollop of vanilla ice cream or custard and enjoy!