sticky toffee pudding

This classic dessert was invented a stones throw from where I grew up and is, frankly just delicious and comforting. You will want to lick your plate and that is fine with me. This pud contains wonderful warming winter spices, making it perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. The smell of it cooking is one of the best smells in the world.

This is one of my go tos when I have people coming over for an autumn or winter dinner. It cane be made ahead a couple of days or even frozen. Making it a perfect cosy but low fuss, crowd-pleaser dessert. You can also make the cake part without the accompanying sauce as a winter tray bake and freeze it squares to chuck into lunch boxes or for midweek desserts.

I was itching to get it into my cooking classes in California where this is a pretty unknown dessert. One of the first things I needed to get across was the word ‘pudding’ which in America refers to something more akin to a blancmange or a custardy dessert. Whereas this is a warm spongy muffin-like cake cooked with an oozy toffee sauce. It went down a treat in California and has also passed muster with all the Brits I’ve served it too.