Old Fashioned Date Pudding Recipe - These Old Cookbooks (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between sticky date pudding and sticky toffee pudding? ›

Sticky toffee pudding, known as sticky date pudding in Australia and New Zealand, is a British dessert consisting of a moist sponge cake made with finely chopped dates (optional), covered in a toffee sauce and often served with a vanilla custard or vanilla ice-cream.

In a medium bowl, combine the dates with the butter, baking soda, sugar, salt, and spices. Pour the boiling water over the date mixture, stir to combine, and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the nuts and flour, then transfer to the prepared pan.

The addition of dates soaked in tea creates a moist pudding, which, when served with the rich toffee sauce, provides the best combination for a winter pudding.

Although its origins are unclear, it was likely invented during the 20th century in the Lake District of northwest England, from where its popularity spread across the country.

Like the Christmas pudding and figgy puddings before it, the sticky toffee pudding is usually steamed for maximum moisture. Instead of figs, however, very finely chopped dates are added to the cake, which gets covered in a toffee sauce.

The sponge is at its best on the day it is made as if the whole sponge is reheated in an oven there is the risk that it can dry out a little. The sponge will also become firmer when it is stored in the fridge.

The baking soda helps to soften the dates as well as lighten the texture of the cake. Boiling Water – used to soak the dates and once soaked, the dates including the liquid, is added to the cake. Butter – salted or unsalted butter is fine. Brown Sugar – used in both the cake and the caramel sauce.

Puddings made for dessert can be boiled and steamed puddings, baked puddings, bread puddings, batter puddings, milk puddings or even jellies. In some Commonwealth countries these puddings are known as custards (or curds) if they are egg-thickened, as blancmange if starch-thickened, and as jelly if gelatin-based.

The invention of what is known in the UK as Sticky Toffee Pudding is generally attributed to Francis Coulson of the Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel in England's Lake District in 1960, although this has been challenged by writers from Scotland and Yorkshire.

A taste of Sticky Toffee Pudding

The Irish love to eat it as a dessert or snack, accompanied by vanilla ice cream (for a touch of freshness!). You'll find them in most local restaurants serving Irish cuisine, but you can also find them in pastry shops.

How do you cook Sara Lee sticky date pudding? ›

Microwave 1 slice for approx. 20 - 25 seconds. The deliciously rich moist date pudding is topped with luscious toffee sauce.

Sticky Date Pudding – you're my favourite and always will be. Also known as Sticky Toffee Pudding, the simple trick that makes all the difference is to pour some Butterscotch Sauce over the warm cake when it comes out of the oven. It makes it ultra moist and gives it that intense dark colour.

The presence of sticky toffee pudding has waxed and waned in the United States during the last 20 years.

While sticky toffee pudding has a reputation for being an old-timey dessert, it wasn't until the 1970s that it really became popularized. Fun fact: In New Zealand and Australia the dish is called sticky date pudding.

The beloved British classic is popping up on dessert menus across the United States, from natural wine bars to Harry Potter World. Sticky toffee pudding is a clear communicator.

For the Pudding

Add the unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, self raising flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and the black treacle into a bowl, and beat until combined - beat as little as possible so as not to over beat it. Add in the date & water mixture, and the milk a little at a time, and mix in until smooth.

Sticky toffee pudding has a decadent, soft and almost chewy caramel/toffee flavor and texture. Although many sticky toffee pudding recipes don't call for a spice mixture, we include a small amount of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg into ours which adds a subtle depth of flavor that compliments the sweet richness.

The simple explanation is that Brits use the word 'pudding' to refer to dessert. If they are going to serve you an actual pudding they will specify the type of pudding – for example, sticky toffee pudding or rice pudding.