James Martin Sticky Toffee​ Recipe​

This James Martin inspired sticky toffee pudding is the kind of dessert that feels properly special but is still very doable at home. You get a soft, deeply moist date sponge with a buttery toffee sauce that soaks in and turns everything glossy and rich. It’s an easy-to-follow bake with simple ingredients and forgiving timings. Total time is about 1 hour, including baking and a short rest before serving.

Ingredients

For the date sponge

• 200g pitted dates, finely chopped
• 250ml boiling water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 75g unsalted butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
• 150g dark muscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g self-raising flour
• Pinch of fine salt

For the sticky toffee sauce

• 100g unsalted butter
• 200g light brown sugar
• 200ml double cream
• 1 tbsp black treacle (or molasses)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

To serve (optional, but highly recommended)

• Vanilla ice cream
• Hot custard
• Clotted cream
• Toasted pecans or walnuts

How to Make James Martin Sticky Toffee​ Recipe​

Prepare the oven and tin

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the pudding bakes evenly.
• Line the tin: Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin (about 8 inches). If you prefer a slightly thinner pudding, use a small rectangular tin of a similar volume.

Soften the dates

• Make the date mixture: Put the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda.
• Rest: Leave for 10 minutes. The dates will soften and the mixture will look a little foamy. That’s exactly what you want for a tender sponge.

Mix the sponge batter

• Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and dark muscovado sugar until glossy and well combined. It won’t go pale and fluffy like caster sugar, and that’s fine.
• Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla. If it looks slightly curdled, it will come back together once the flour goes in.
• Fold in flour: Add the self-raising flour and salt, and fold until you have a thick batter.
• Stir in the dates: Pour in the warm date mixture (liquid and all) and gently mix until evenly combined.

Bake

• Fill the tin: Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and level the top.
• Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sponge is risen, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are fine).

Make the sticky toffee sauce

• Heat gently: While the pudding bakes, add the butter, brown sugar, double cream, treacle, vanilla, and salt to a saucepan.
• Simmer until glossy: Warm over a low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened and shiny.

Soak and assemble

• Poke the sponge: Let the pudding sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then poke it all over with a skewer. This helps the sauce soak in rather than sitting on top.
• Add the first pour of sauce: Pour about half of the warm toffee sauce over the pudding and let it sink in for 10 minutes.
• Serve: Spoon portions into bowls and pour over the remaining sauce. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, custard, or clotted cream.

Tips

Why did my sticky toffee pudding turn out dry?

The most common cause is overbaking. Start checking at 25 minutes, and pull it when it feels springy and a skewer comes out clean. Also make sure you pour sauce over while the sponge is still warm so it re-moistens and turns properly sticky.

How do I stop the sauce from splitting or turning grainy?

Keep the heat low and stir while the sugar dissolves. If it boils too hard, it can split. If it looks a little separated, take it off the heat and whisk in a splash of cream until smooth again.

Can I make it extra sticky like a restaurant pudding?

Yes. Pour half the sauce over the warm sponge, let it soak, then serve with even more sauce on top. If you want an even deeper soak, poke more holes and give it a longer rest before slicing.

Do I need to blend the dates?

No, chopping them finely is enough. If you prefer an ultra-smooth sponge, you can briefly blitz the date mixture with a stick blender before adding it to the batter.

Serving Suggestions

• Warm slices with vanilla ice cream and a pinch of flaky salt
• With hot custard for a classic British pudding moment
• With clotted cream and toasted pecans for extra richness and crunch
• With sliced bananas and an extra drizzle of sauce for a banoffee vibe

Storage

Room temperature

Store the sponge (without ice cream or custard) in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Keep the sauce in a separate container if possible.

Refrigerator

Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 20 to 40 seconds, then spoon warm sauce over the top. Warm the sauce gently in a saucepan or microwave in short bursts, stirring often.

Freezing

Freeze the sponge (well wrapped) for up to 3 months. Freeze the sauce separately in a freezer-safe tub for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat until piping hot and serve with freshly warmed sauce.

Nutrition

• Calories: 630 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 92 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Fat: 28 g
• Saturated fat: 17 g
• Sodium: 420 mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on brands, exact ingredients, and portion sizes.

FAQs

James Martin Sticky Toffee Recipe

Recipe by Home Chef CooksCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

portions

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

60

minutes

Calories

630

kcal

50

minutes

A moist date sponge baked until tender, then soaked with a rich buttery toffee sauce. Serve warm with ice cream, custard, or clotted cream for the ultimate British dessert.

Ingredients

• 200g pitted dates, finely chopped

• 250ml boiling water

• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 75g unsalted butter, softened

• 150g dark muscovado sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 175g self-raising flour

• Pinch of fine salt

• 100g unsalted butter (for the sauce)

• 200g light brown sugar (for the sauce)

• 200ml double cream (for the sauce)

• 1 tbsp black treacle or molasses (for the sauce)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for the sauce)

• Pinch of salt (for the sauce)

• Vanilla ice cream, custard, or clotted cream (to serve)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease and line a 20cm square tin.
• Combine chopped dates, boiling water, and bicarbonate of soda. Leave 10 minutes to soften.
• Cream butter and muscovado sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
• Fold in flour and salt, then mix in the date mixture.
• Bake 25–30 minutes until springy and a skewer comes out clean.
• Simmer sauce ingredients for 3–5 minutes until glossy.
• Poke warm pudding all over, pour over half the sauce, and rest 10 minutes.
• Serve warm with remaining sauce and ice cream, custard, or clotted cream.

Notes

• Chop the dates fairly small so they melt into the sponge.
• Warm sauce soaks in better. If it thickens, add a splash of cream and reheat gently.
• Reheat portions in the microwave for 20–40 seconds and spoon over extra sauce.