Treacle Sponge Pudding Dateless Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipes

ULTIMATE STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• Stone and chop 225g medjool dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour over 175ml boiling water.
• Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
• Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• While the dates are soaking, make the puddings. Mix 175g self-raising flour and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda together and beat the 2 eggs in a separate bowl.
• Beat 85g softened butter and 140g demerara sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar). Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions.
• Beat in 2 tbsp black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour and bicarbonate of soda mix, then half of the 100ml milk, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour mix and all the milk is used.
• Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter. The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter.
• Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.
• Meanwhile, put the 175g light muscovado sugar and 50g butter pieces for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the 225ml double cream.
• Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Stir in 1 tbsp black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the double cream.
• Remove the puddings from the oven. Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out.
• You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they'll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce. To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes.
• Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them. Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn't smudge (no need to chill).
• When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling. Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.

THE ULTIMATE STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 325 F /160 C / Gas 3.
• Butter and lightly dust an 8 x 8 x 2 1/2-inch square baking tin with flour.
• Put the chopped dates into a large glass bowl, cover with boiling water, leave for 20 minutes to swell and soften. Once soft, add the vanilla extract.
• Sieve the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large baking bowl.
• In another baking bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy, don't worry about grains of sugar, they will melt during cooking.
• Little by little, add the beaten eggs, mixing really well between additions. Add the treacle and beat well.
• Using a large metal spoon carefully fold in one-third of the flour, then carefully stir in one-third of the milk. Repeat until all the flour and milk is used up.
• Add the chopped dates (including any liquid in the bowl) and stir gently. The pudding mixture will resemble a thick batter.
• Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until the sponge is raised and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out.
• Over medium heat, melt the butter, sugar, and half the cream in a saucepan. Raise the heat slightly and bring to the boil stirring constantly until all the sugar has dissolved.
• Add the treacle and allow the sauce to bubble for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 1 minute then stir in the remaining cream.
• Place a portion of the cake onto warm individual serving dishes, and drizzle generous amounts of sauce over.
• Serve with custard or ice cream.

TREACLE SPONGE PUDDING/ DATELESS STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• butter 2 pint pudding basin or medium mixing bowl - anything that will take heat.
• Put the 3 tablespoons of golden syrup (corn syrup) at the bottom of pudding basin/bowl.
• sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
• Add all other ingredients (except to serve obviously) and beat with electric mixer - or ALOT of strength and a large fork. Mix until everything is combined ( roughly two mins using mixer).
• Now this is the part which sounds complicated but it's very easy in practice.
• Get a layer of grease proof paper and place a layer of foil on top - original instructions called for a pleat, i didn't but it made no difference.
• Cover the top of the pudding basin/bowl with the foil on top. Tie string around it to secure paper and foil then trim excess.
• In a large deep saucepan poor previously boiled water from kettle to save time - fill it roughly half way up. and place pudding in pan .
• Put on medium heat until water goes up to boil again then turn to very low heat.
• Place lid on top of saucepan. Steam for 2 hours.
• now this is the beauty of it. Often when serving hot deserts by the time everyones seated and ready - if your previously got the desert out its cold or if you left it in the oven overcooked. The pudding can joyfully go on steaming until your ready for it without any harm - i think it's virtually impossible to oversteam it on such a low heat although I could be wrong.
• Sand castle time! untie string and take of foil and paper. get a palette knife to loosen edges place pudding upside down onto a previously warmed plate and wallah your pudding is ready.
• If you want, as I've put in the ingredients list you can serve with a variety of things but it doesn't actually need anything as it's lovely and moist and sweet as it is.

NEXT LEVEL STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter a medium rectangular baking tin (roughly 30 x 20cm, and at least 5cm deep) and line with baking parchment. Tip the dates into a heatproof bowl with the bicarb and vanilla, then pour over the rum, if using, and 200ml kettle-hot water. (If omitting the rum, use 300ml water.) Leave to soak for 30 mins. Meanwhile, toast the pecans in a dry pan over a medium heat for 6-8 mins until nutty and starting to brown a little. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Tip the dates and their soaking liquid into a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Tip half back into the bowl, then blitz the rest to a smooth purée. Pour this over the roughly chopped dates in the bowl.
• Tip the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat using an electric whisk or for 3-5 mins until fluffy. Or, do this in a stand mixer. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then fold through the flour, spices and a large pinch of salt. The batter will be thick. Fold through the date mixture and pecans, then scrape everything into the prepared tin. Level the surface with a spatula and bake for 30-35 mins until just set and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• While the pudding bakes, make the sauce. Tip the sugar, butter and treacle into a saucepan and warm over a medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Bubble for 3 mins until the mixture is thick. Stir in the cream and simmer, stirring, for 2 mins until you have a dark toffee sauce. About 10 mins before the end of the pudding cooking time, remove it from the oven, drizzle half the sauce over and spread out with a spatula to cover. Bake for 6-8 mins more until the sauce is bubbling. Leave to cool slightly, then serve hot or just warm with ice cream, double cream or clotted cream, with the remaining sauce poured over.

TREACLE SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a small bowl mix together the golden syrup with the breadcrumbs and lemon juice.
• Spoon the mixture into the bottom of a well-greased 2 pint pudding basin and set aside.
• To prepare the sponge, gently cream the butter and sugar together.
• Add the grated lemon rind and slowly whisk in the eggs, a little at a time.
• Sift over the flour and gently whisk the mixture together.
• Add just enough milk for the mixture to drop easily from a spoon.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding basin and cover with a disc of greaseproof paper, followed by a double piece of foil, tied under the rim of the basin with string.
• To steam the pudding: Place a small non-breakable saucer into the base of a large pan.
• Place the basin onto the saucer and fill the pan with boiling water two-thirds up the side of the basin.
• Cover and steam for between 1-3/4 to 2 hours.
• Do not let the water dry out by continually topping up the water to the two-thirds mark.
• Meanwhile, prepare the custard: Pour the milk, cream and the vanilla pod seeds into a small saucepan.
• Place over a gentle heat and slowly bring to the boil.
• In a medium sized bowl and using a wooden spoon mix together the egg yolks and caster sugar.
• Remove the cream mixture from the heat and slowly stir it into the egg mixture.
• Return the mixture back into the saucepan on a gentle heat.
• Stir the custard continuously, until thick without allowing the mixture to boil.
• If the custard becomes lumpy sieve the custard into a large warm jug to remove any lumps that have formed.
• Cover with cling film to prevent a skin forming.
• Remove the treacle sponge from the pan containing the hot water and allow to cool slightly.
• Invert onto a serving plate, ensuring that all the syrup is removed from the bottom of the basin.
• Serve with the custard.