Sticky toffee pudding and custard – Ravneet Gill

Warm, sticky toffee pudding with a soft date sponge, drenched in glossy toffee sauce and a pool of rich vanilla custard – a proper British classic.

By Ravneet Gill
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes
Original recipe from BBC Saturday Kitchen Live.

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This sticky toffee pudding is a rich, indulgent dessert with a date sponge, buttery toffee sauce, and creamy custard. It’s high in sugar and fat from the butter, cream, and sugars, which gives it a Nutri‑Score of D. Best enjoyed as a treat rather than an everyday pudding.

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Method

1. Make the custard
   Put the milk, cream and vanilla pod (split and seeds scraped in) or vanilla paste in a saucepan with half the caster sugar. Warm gently over medium heat, stirring now and then, until steaming but not boiling. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and creamy. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the yolks, whisking all the time so the eggs don’t scramble. Pour everything back into the pan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour into a bowl, press a piece of cling film directly on the surface to stop a skin forming, and leave to cool.
2. Make the toffee sauce
   Put the cream, dark brown sugar and butter in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Let it simmer for 2–3 minutes so it thickens slightly, then take it off the heat and stir in a pinch of salt. Spoon about a quarter of the sauce into the bottom of a buttered loaf tin and set the rest aside for later.
3. Prep the dates
   Put the pitted dates and boiling water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, just until the dates are soft and the water is absorbed. Take it off the heat, stir in the bicarbonate of soda (it will fizz up a bit), then mash the mixture with a fork until it’s a rough paste. Set this aside to cool a little.
4. Preheat and prep
   Heat the oven to 190°C / 170°C fan / Gas 5. Lightly butter a loaf tin (about 900g / 2lb) and place it on a baking tray in case of spills.
5. Mix the sponge batter
   In a mixing bowl, beat the butter with the dark brown soft sugar and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well combined. Sift in the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt, then fold in gently until just mixed. Don’t overbeat – a few small lumps are fine.
6. Combine and pour
   Add the warm date mixture to the cake batter and fold in until evenly mixed. The batter will be quite thick. Pour it into the loaf tin, on top of the sauce already in the bottom, and smooth the top with a spatula.
7. Bake the pudding
   Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be springy and golden. Take it out of the oven and turn the grill on to high.
8. Finish under the grill
   Carefully pour the reserved toffee sauce over the hot pudding. Pop it back under the grill for about 5 minutes, watching it closely, until the sauce is bubbling and starting to caramelise on top. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
9. Serve warm with custard
   Let the pudding sit for a couple of minutes so it’s not piping hot, then slice it into portions. Serve each slice warm with a generous spoonful of the cool vanilla custard on the side. It’s perfect like this, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling extra indulgent.