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STOP! Before you hit ‘Jump to Recipe’ check ‘Skip to the Good Bit‘ below. I may answer a query you have about this recipe.
I’ve made this Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding on many occasions but never had the opportunity (or patience) to photograph it, therefore this recipe has been a long time coming on the blog…but hooray, I’m sharing it with you now you lucky lot!
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Can I make this Sticky Toffee Pudding Vegan?
I’ve made this both with and without egg and have to say the end result is the same; beautiful moist light sponge with the warm flavour of dates, certainly no need to add sugar to the main sponge as they’re plenty sweet enough. The Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding in these images is in fact the vegan version so the proof, in this case, is quite literally in the pudding.
…sorry, I’m just going to revel in my comedic reference there for a moment…
Oh, and while I think of it this makes are rather special alternative to the Christmas Pudding which is would seem is a bit of a love/hate pudding. My sister-in-law would certainly have a sticky toffee Christmas pudding any day!
Can I make one large Sticky Toffee Pudding?
Anyway, back to the Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding. I’ve also made this as one large pudding in one of my Grans beautiful 1 pint pudding basins and sweet little individual puddings which feel a little more special for dinner parties or special occasions.
If making as one large sticky toffee pudding, you’ll need to allow for more baking time. I find that 35-40 minutes works just fine but ovens vary so please do check on it. You can test by sticking a wooden skewer into the pudding to make sure the middle isn’t raw.
What to serve Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding with?
My brood love this served with lashings of custard and if I’m going to have some too I make it up myself with Birds® Custard Powder, but to be fair, it’s quite delicious on its own. Just in case you were wondering how to make your own dairy free custard here’s my recipe for Quick and Easy Dairy Free Custard
With the toffee sauce there is no need for custard or cream…unless you’re feeling particularly indulgent, in which case hats off to you my friend, ENJOY!
The day I wished I HAD made Sticky Toffee Pudding
I actually had the chance to make this pudding recently but didn’t plan ahead – and so wish that I had. The family were invited to my in-laws for Sunday dinner and the choice of puddings were apple crumble and custard, sticky toffee pudding and custard or ice cream and fruit. I went for the only choice available to me which was a bowl of cherries! Not before we had a bit of a giggle though, as my sister-in-law called the sticky toffee pudding ‘Stucky Toffee Pudding’ we did giggle.
She’s a Russian speaking Latvian and while I have no right to mock her English (my Latvian is non-existent, and I know two or three words in Russian) it did cause chance for a giggle and maybe she’s right, sticky toffee does get stucky to your teeth after all.
Oh and take the time to adore my pudding basin, this came from my Gran’s kitchen, she said I can keep it. I love to think about all the stories it could tell. If only it could speak to me. You’ll know I’ve completely lost it if I start to say it has! This recipe makes one large pudding or four to five smaller puddings.
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Other delicious indulgent gluten free pudding ideas
While we’re talking all things pudding you may be interested in my Chocolate Goo Pudding (seriously indulgent and a chocolate lovers dream). There’s also my Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding and how about my Toffee Apple Crumble…oh the choices are endless. Plus for anyone toying with the idea of going vegan my post Ingredients and Simple Recipes for a Gluten Free Veganuary has some great tips on what to stock up on and how to bake vegan-style.
Want Sticky Toffee without the dates?
Your luck is in then because I recently developed a Date Free Sticky Toffee Pudding made Gluten Free. This is equally as moist, with a delicious caramel flavour sponge and oodles of toffee sauce.
Gluten Free Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding Recipe
If you make it and like the recipe I would be eternally grateful if you popped back and commented leaving a star rating as this will tell search engines that this recipe is worth checking out and others will get to find it in searches.
Gluten Free Sticky Date and Toffee Pudding
Equipment
- 2.5L pudding basin this link has all sizes included
Ingredients
For the date pudding
- 125 g chopped dried dates
- 100 ml boiled water
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed or 1 egg if not vegan/egg free
- 50 g butter or butter alternative (I use Flora plant butter)
- 100 g gluten free self raising flour
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the toffee sauce
- 125 ml soya cream or usual dairy free alternative
- 80 g light brown sugar
- 30 g butter or butter alternative (I use Flora plant butter)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C | 160°C Fan | 350°F | Gas 4 and grease your 4 mini pudding bowls or 1pt pudding basin.
- In a large jug add your dates and pour over the boiled water, leave to soak whilst setting to work on your toffee sauce.
To make the toffee sauce
- In a small pan add the soya cream, brown sugar and dairy free butter and stir over a medium to high heat until the ‘butter’ had melted and it reaches boiling point.
- Set a timer for 15 mins and let the liquid reduce to a thick toffee sauce. Don’t leave unattended, you’ll need to give it a stir once in a while and ensure it doesn’t boil over.
- Remove from the heat and pour into your pudding basin or equally divide across your four mini pudding bowl. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
To make the pudding sponge
- Return to your bowl of soaking dates. Add the ground flaxseed (or egg) and the dairy free butter (I melt mine for 10 seconds in the microwave) and mix thoroughly to combine, you’ll notice the dates will have plumped up, and broken down into a date paste.
- Add the gluten free self raising flour and bicarbonate of soda and beat until combined. Spoon into you chosen pudding bowls cover loosely with kitchen foil. Place on a baking tray.
- Pop into the oven for 20mins for individual mini puddings or 35-40mins for one larger pudding.
- To test if the larger pudding is ready, remove the foil and insert a skewer, if it’s ready it will come out clean, the smaller puddings will be ready if bouncy to the touch. if you like, you can remove the foil for the last 5 minutes if baking a large sized pudding to brown the top (bottom) of the sponge.
- Serve immediately with lashings of lovely dairy free custard or cream.
Notes
Nutrition
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That looks very good and tempting. I love the texture of the cake soft and perfect. Bookmarking this to try soon. #cookblogshare
Thank you so much Renu x
DELISH! Not too sweet and super yummy
So pleased you like it Ally and thrilled you took the time to come back and leave a review
Loved this! I didn’t know what soya cream was so I used canned coconut milk instead. It was delicious! Thank you for sharing! My first time making sticky toffee pudding and it was a hit!
Thank you so much for your feedback and love the coconut sub, I adore coconut so will try this myself
Great recipe! I used spelt flour in the pudding and coconut cream in the sauce. Delicious, fluffy and not too sweet.
Perfect Flavia, and YES not too sweet, I think that can ruin a pudding for me x
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Appreciate the recommendation. Let me try it out.
Any suggestions if you can’t eat soy?
Hello Louisa, thank you for commenting. I think (assuming your dairy free and cannot have normal cream), I’d use a coconut milk reduction to make a condensed milk and use that instead of the soy cream. I have examples of how to do this in my Vegan Baileys recipes. In this instance I’d be inclined to use brown sugar and coconut milk and reduce for half the time as you don’t want the condensed ‘milk’ to be too thick – let me know if that doesn’t make sense, just read it back and it may not be clear!!
I’m trying it with dates instead of sugar in the sauce as well! Wish me luck! Ps the sponge batter seems a bit dry. Is there enough water with the chia to replace the egg?
I wonder. Did you strain the water from the dates because I kept the water and added the chia, ‘butter’ and flour to the dates and water combined. I don;t think I make that entirely clear. Hope it went well Lynley and I’m intrigued to find out how you think the toffee sauce turned out with dates instead of sugar – sounds delicious.
my youngest and I adore sticky toffee pudding. it is sooo good! Yours look amazing – that sauce , the colour is well scrumptious looking. I had to make a dairy and gluten free version for Christmas for a family member, I kind of made it up and it was ok but yours look so much better. I will be passing this recipe on to her or sure. thanks for sharing with #bakeoftheweek x
Oh thank you for those kind words Jenny and I’m super chuffed you’ll be passing the recipe on to your family xx
What a fabulous dessert and my son’s favourite. I’m making it this half term actually. I love baking with dates and interesting that you don’t add sugar. Have pinned for close scrutiny and open mind to adapt my own version. Feeling inspired! Thanks for bringing it to #BakingCrumbs
This looks gorgeous. I love sticky toffee pudding but I’m avoiding gluten at the moment so it will be great to have this recipe.
Well there you go, perfect timing, ask and the universe will deliver x
What a lovely texture! I’m drooling just looking at the photos
Aww thank you Balvinder, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed developing this recipe…lots and LOTS of taste testing hahaha
I do love Stucky, I mean Sticky Toffee Pudding! ;) It’s a proper classic which gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling of comfort. I really like the fact that you left the sugar out altogether from your sponge, perfect excuse for second helping! :) Thank you for sharing with #BakingCrumbs :) x
Hahaha, we did giggle at that. Defo a recipe to warm the cockles and whisk you back into sweet memories.
I adore Sticky Toffee Pudding as does everyone in my family. When done well it is super hard to beat. My son squeals whenever I make it for him. We actually went to a really posh restaurant last night and had it. It was not good! They had tried to make it too fancy and just lost the toffee flavour. Crazy!!! Don’t try to fix something that’s fabulous in the first place! Your’s looks a real humdinger. Thanks for sharing it with#BakingCrumbs
I totally agree, don’t mess with the classics x
Looks so scrumptious and may I add amazing since it sounds healthy, too. How did you manage that in a dessert? I’m saving this definitely. Thanks for linking up to Fiesta Friday.
It doesn’t look all that healthy but a sticky toffee puddings go this one is defo reduced in refined sugar and full of fibre too – so you can eat twice as much..that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it
This look absolutely incredible! I just love how that toffee is glistening on the top. I’m not normally a fan of sticky toffee pudding but I’m definitely wanting to eat this it looks so good! Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
Aww thank you Corina, I’m rather pleased with these shots, really does the pudding justice, thank you for having me xx
I love this recipe Rebecca as it is one of my favourite desserts! My 10 year old nephew is allergic to eggs so I am always trying to come up with something lovely to bake for him when it comes to family occasions. He is so restricted and I know at times he would love to be able to have what everyone else is having. The next time I have everybody over, which will most likely be Easter I am going to give this a try for him! #thatfridaylinky
Oh that’s wonderful to read Tracey, this is EXACTLY why I create and blog these recipes, so that other people can enjoy them too. I’ve actually just polished off a pudding just 10 minutes ago with Birds Custard made with soya milk….all the yums, nobody misses out in this family. I’m thrilled to hear your nephew will get to try it too, fingers crossed he loves it x
This looks really good! Oh my! Look at that toffee sauce! I bet this is perfect with black coffee or tea. Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party!
Haha, I’ve just had a pudding this evening after Sunday Roast and yes, it works beautifully with a lovely strong cuppa, thank you for having me Jhuls #FiestaFriday