Go Back
Print

Sticky Toffee Pudding with (Bourbon) Salted Caramel Sauce

An extremely moist and subtly sweet pudding made with dates, drenched in salted caramel sauce, served with whip cream and a light sprinkling of fleur de sel.
Course Dessert
Prep 25 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total 1 hour 10 minutes
Yields 12 pieces
Author Emi

Ingredients

Pudding

  • 2 cups (280 grams) Medjool dates whole with pits, about 18 to 20 dates
  • 1 ⅔ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
  • 2 bags Earl Grey tea
  • 1 cup (133 grams) leveled pastry flour* see notes for gluten free option
  • 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons (18 grams) baking powder
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon (9 grams) table salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
  • ½ cup (72 grams) demerara sugar gently packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon molasses

Salted Caramel Sauce (Yields over 1 ½ cups )

  • ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter room temperature
  • 1 1⁄3 cup (200 grams) demerara sugar gently packed
  • ½ cup + 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon (9 grams) table salt
  • 3 to 4 tablespoon bourbon optional

Finishing

  • salted caramel sauce
  • whip cream
  • fleur de sel

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and lightly flour a 10” x 7” (1.4L) baking dish; set aside.
  2. Pit the dates and place into a medium sized pot. Add water and bring to a boil. When the water reaches a boil, remove from heat and stir in vanilla and baking soda. Add the tea bags to the liquid and steep for 15 to 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool and remove the tea bags before placing into a blender. Purée the date mixture until smooth; set aside to cool.

  3. In a small mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and demerara sugar until light and fluffy. Add in one egg at a time, beating well after each addition. (Note: the batter will look curdled). Add the molasses and cooled date mixture, mix to combine.
  5. Incorporate the flour mixture into the date mixture a quarter at a time. Do not overmix the batter. 

  6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for 45 mins or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. While the pudding is in the oven, prepare the salted caramel sauce. Over medium-high heat, combine butter, demerara sugar, cream, and salt into a small pot. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Lower the heat and add the optional bourbon, stir for 5 mins. Remove from heat and allow the caramel to cool before serving.

  8. Remove the pudding from the oven. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the top of the pudding. Pour about a third of the salted caramel sauce over the top of the pudding. Let the pudding cool just a bit before serving.
  9. Serve the warm pudding with a generous drizzle of salted caramel sauce, a dollop (or more) of whip cream, and a sprinkling of fleur de salt.

  10. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • The pudding and sauce can be made a day in advance, just remember to serve it warm.
  • If adding bourbon to the salted caramel sauce the extra liquid will thin out the sauce, you can simmer over low heat while stirring frequently until desired thickness is achieved.
  • Puddings can also be baked as mini loaves for holiday gifts. A 6 cup mini loaf pan (4.3" x 2.7" x 1.8") works well with this recipe. Bake for 30 mins at 350F.
  • To freeze the pudding and sauce, wrap the pudding in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Caramel sauce stores well in a glass mason jar.
  • I've made this recipe 5 times now and only once did I ended up with a runny batter, the other 4 times the batter was very airy and fluffy. The texture, taste, or rise were not affected by the batter consistency.
  • *To make this recipe gluten free:
    • Substitute the pastry flour for 3/4 cups of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour and 1/4 cup of potato starch (should still be 133 grams combined)
      • Potato starch provides a very light texture similar to pastry flour
      • Sweet white rice flour (mochiko) in BRM blend provides the necessary thickening and stickiness to keep the pudding together while keeping the end results moist and light
    • Bake for an extra 15 minutes covered with tin foil, when done a few moist crumbs should be on the toothpick
    • Let the pudding rest before serving, the cake will be slightly more delicate than the regular 'gluten' pudding
    • Similar to the regular pudding, the pudding will become slightly dense when chilled, but when warmed it have a very light texture