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Sticky Toffee Pudding
I am not a big fan of desserts but I love making them and this Sticky Toffee Pudding is something else. Add the glazed banana to take it to the next level.
Do you love toffee pudding? If so, then this recipe is perfect for you! It’s a British dessert that has been around since the 19th century. The origin of the name is unclear, but it could be from “toffee apple” or “stiffy toddy.” Either way, it’s delicious and easy to make – just follow these simple steps below:
Where did sticky toffee pudding come from?
The first incarnation of the dish appears to be in an 18th-century English recipe book called The Art Of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. It was originally known as “bride cake”, since it was traditionally served on a bride’s wedding day; this tradition is still observed today by some couples.
The more commonly known sticky toffee pudding we use today was developed in the 70s. The exact origins of sticky toffee pudding are unknown and disputed, but Francis Coulson and Robert Lee developed and served the dish at their Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel in the Lake District, in North West England, in the 1970s.
Does sticky toffee pudding have dates in it?
Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe does now contain chopped dates. The traditional Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe is made with flour, sugar, butter and eggs but without the fruits or spices which are usually associated with date cake. A key ingredient in a sticky toffee pudding is golden syrup, which gives it its distinctive flavour.
What’s the twist?
The chopped dates is soaked in Bourbon and lots of it with Bicarbonate of Soda mixed in to help break the dates down and gives a lighter touch to the the finished sticky toffee pudding.
The finished toffee pudding is topped with toffee sauce, which of course contains more Bourbon. I then add slices of Banana which has been brulee with brown sugar which adds a nice contrast to the richness of the pudding.
Why add Bourbon?
A BBQ competition that was run by the Grillstock team, had a round sponsored by Jack Daniels and we had to incorporate it in to our dish. I’ve seen sticky toffee pudding recipes in the past that contain Rum so I thought why not swap it with the Bourbon. I then also made a Peanut Brittle (with Bourbon) and prior to the competition, a JD ice cream. So, as you can see the whole dish was laced with Bourbon but it wasn’t to full on. The judges must have thought it was good because I won that category and ended up going to the Jack Daniels distillery in Tennessee as the winning prize!
Serves: 8
Allergens: MILK, WHEAT, EGG
Time: 1 hour plus cooling time
BBQ Used: Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM)
Ingredients
Date Mix:
- 250ML Bourbon (your favourite)
- 150ML Water
- 250g Dates – pitted & chopped
- 1 TSP Vanilla Paste or 1 Vanilla Pod – split
- 2 TSP Bicarbonate of Soda
Sauce Mix:
- 175g Demerara Sugar
- 1 TBSP Golden Syrup
- 1 TBSP Black Treacle
- 170g Unsalted Butter
- 500ML Double Cream
- Pinch of Salt
- Bourbon to Taste
Batter Mix:
- 125g Unsalted Butter – softened
- 125g Soft Dark Sugar
- 3 Large Free Range Eggs
- 150g Plain Flour
Method
- In a medium saucepan, add the dates, bourbon, water and vanilla. Bring to the boil and reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the date mix to a mixing bowl and add the bicarbonate of soda and cover with clingfilm for at least 1 hour.
Note: adding the bicarbonate of soda at this point helps break down the dates and makes the mix lighter. - Prepare your smoker to cook indirect at 160C (320F).
- For the batter mix, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
Note: the batter mix might look as if it has separated. You can add a TBSP of the flour after the first egg, but it will bounce back when adding the flour in the next stage. - Fold in the date mixture, making sure it is fully incorporated.
- Scrape the mixture into a greased and parchment lined baking tin (13×9 inches).
Note: at competitions I have used small 2x3inch loaf tins, giving a shorter cook time. - Place on your smoker with 1 chunk of your favourite fruit wood on the coals.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out just clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Note: the STP will continue to cook after being removed from the smoker. - For the sauce, add the sugar, golden syrup, black treacle, butter, double cream, salt and bourbon to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and remove from heat.
Note: for a thicker sauce, leave it to reduce further. The sauce can be kept in an air tight container for up to 2 weeks once cold. - Portion the Sticky Toffee Pudding to your required size.
- To serve, gently re-heat the sauce and STP and serve with Vanilla Ice Cream.
Note: add sliced banana’s to the top and give them a quick sugar glaze by sprinkling demarara sugar on them and melt with a blow torch.
My Opinion on the Cook
This piece of culinary genius (as described by my daughters) came about when I needed to find a world-beating recipe for Grillstock in Walthamstow ‘Chef’s Choice’ category back in 2015. That year, ‘Chef’s Choice’ was sponsored by Jack Daniels, and the rules were…..guess what? Create anything incorporating Jack Daniels! You couldn’t get much more novel than BBQ’d Sticky Toffee Pudding, a dessert loved by my kids. This Sticky Toffee Pudding took me on a trip all the way to Tennessee, courtesy of Mr JD himself! It has been an old faithful for me and won several other competitions rounds. With that in mind… it is very nice!
