Chocolate and Whisky Sticky Toffee Pudding

If you’re looking for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, this sticky toffee pudding infused with chocolate and whisky is your calling. 

I’m back! and with a bang. A deeper, darker variation of sticky toffee pudding, this recipe provides the same level of satisfaction but with a little flare.

I made this last year for a Christmas dinner, and upon request, repeated it again this  year (sorry, it is now well past Christmas, but this is good pretty much all the time). It’s based on my original sticky toffee pudding recipe, but with notes of chocolate and whisky.

The “pudding” or cake base is glorious by itself, akin to the date and nut loaf cake that you all loved, but with a soft chocolate flavor. The toffee sauce that accompanies it is essentially a dark caramel, with a generous pinch of salt ( and in thise case, and a generous splash of whisky). It is this toffee sauce that brings out the “ooohs” and “aaahs”, and if you’re adding whisky, the “what’s that?”

This sticky toffee pudding is best served warm (even popping it into the microwave for a minute will do), with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream or double cream, and a cheeky drizzle of more toffee sauce. Here’s what you’ll need.

Key ingredients you’ll need for this recipe

• Treacle (or molasses): If you can’t find treacle or molasses, it will be totally fine to leave it out. Treacle gives the pudding its deep, almost bittersweet caramel flavour. Think of the rich undertones in brown sugar — but intensified. You can substitute molasses or omit it entirely if needed.
• Dates: Use plump, sweet dates such as Medjool. They almost melt into the batter, giving this dessert character and that signature toffee undertone.
• Cocoa powder: The cocoa powder quantity is just enough to complement the caramel notes without stealing the show. Use a good-quality Dutch-process cocoa powder.
• Brown sugar: More tasty than regular granulated sugar. Adds depth. I like Muscovado sugar.
• Whisky: Optional, but wow. Apparently I have a track record for infusing salted caramel with whisky- i.e., salted caramel whisky truffles. Feel free to substitute the whisky with rum or bourbon, or leave it out entirely for a non-alcoholic version.

How to Make Sticky Toffee Pudding

This recipe comes together easily. Here’s how you’ll make it:

1. Soak the dates in hot coffee, allowing them to soften
2. Mix the dry ingredients, and the wet ingredients
3. Combine everything together
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
5. Make the salted whisky toffee sauce by letting the brown sugar, treacle, butter and cream bubble away till thickened. Then stir in the salt, vanilla and whisky. Pour generously over the cake. Oh boy.

Chocolate and Whisky Sticky Toffee Pudding

If you’re looking for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, this sticky toffee pudding infused with chocolate and whisky is your calling.

5 from 3 votes

Yield: 8 people

Prep: 40 minutes minutes

Cook: 1 hour hour

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Ingredients

For the cake/pudding:

• 250 grams (9 oz) soft dates (such as medjool), pitted and chopped into small pieces
• 250 mL (1 cup) hot coffee (or 1 cup boiling water mixed with 2 tsp instant espresso powder)
• 165 grams (1 and 1/4 cups) all purpose flour
• 20 grams (1/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, (I use Dutch processed)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 6 tbsp (85 grams) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 2 tbsp treacle or molasses*
• 110 grams (2/3 cup) brown sugar (I used dark Muscovado but light is fine too)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Whisky Toffee Sauce

• 100 grams (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 150 grams (3/4 cup) brown sugar
• 190 mL (3/4 cup) heavy cream
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp treacle or molasses
• 2 tbsp whisky

Instructions

For the cake / pudding:

• Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and prepare your baking pan. I used a loaf tin (around 23x13 cm, or 9x5 inch), and lined it with parchment paper. A regular 23x23 cm (9x9 inch) tin will work fine as well.
• In a small bowl, stir together the chopped dates and hot coffee and set aside. If you're not a fan of coffee, use hot water instead.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt, then set aside.
• Beat together the butter, treacle or molasses and brown sugar together until creamy and light.
• Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
• Alternate the date and flour mixture. Start by adding in ½ of the flour mixture, followed by the date mixture, followed by the rest of the flour mixture.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 45-55 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool for about 30 min to an hour, then pierce it all over, using a skewer or chopstick. This ensures that the cake will absorb all of the toffee sauce.

For the toffee sauce:

• To prepare the toffee sauce, combine the butter, brown sugar, treacle or molasses and cream in a saucepan over medium heat
• Stir the mixture constantly until it melts and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame to medium-low and boil for around 5 minutes until the mixture thickens. You can also do this step in the microwave, stirring after every minute.
• Add the salt, and you can also add 1 tsp of vanilla extract should you wish. In the video, the sauce appears darker than normal due to the color of the sugar. A lighter brown sugar will result in a lighter toffee sauce.
• Pour the toffee sauce over the cake, reserving ½ cup for topping.
• To serve: Serve the cake warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, then drizzle some of the remaining sauce over the top. I usually store the cake in the refrigerator and then microwave a piece when it is ready to eat.

Video

Notes

*If you cannot find treacle or molasses, that's fine! Don't let that stop you from making this recipe. You'll still get delicious results.
Adapted from OG classic sticky toffee pudding recipe.

Author: Vedika

Course: Dessert

Keyword: Chocolate, Christmas, Dates, Dessert, Holiday recipes, Pudding, Whisky