Walnut & Dates Sticky Toffee Pudding Recipe

Prepare dates

Place chopped pitted dates in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle baking soda over the dates, then pour the boiling water on top. Stir to combine and let sit for 10 minutes so the dates soften and the mixture becomes syrupy.

Preheat and prep pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan (or equivalent individual pudding tins) and line with parchment paper if desired for easy removal. Lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant, then cool and roughly chop.

Cream butter and sugar

In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and light brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes with an electric mixer or 4–5 minutes by hand.

Add eggs and vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and mix until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled—this is fine.

Combine wet and dry

Stir the softened date mixture (including any liquid) into the butter-sugar-egg mixture until evenly incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently until just combined—do not overmix.

Fold in walnuts

Fold the toasted chopped walnuts into the batter so they are distributed evenly.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes (individual puddings 18–22 minutes) or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (the texture should be moist but set).

Rest

Remove from oven and let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Keep warm while you prepare the toffee sauce.

Combine ingredients

In a medium saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, unsalted butter, and light corn syrup (if using). Warm over medium heat, stirring until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolves.

Simmer with cream

Carefully add the heavy cream (it may bubble). Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened. Do not let it boil vigorously.

Finish sauce

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt. Taste and adjust salt or sweetness as desired. Keep the sauce warm; if it cools and thickens too much, gently rewarm over low heat and stir in a tablespoon of cream.

Cut the sticky toffee cake into 4 generous portions (or unmold individual puddings). Place each portion on a dessert plate, spoon a generous amount of warm toffee sauce over the top, and scatter extra toasted walnuts. Serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of clotted cream alongside.