You won’t need an oven to make a moist sticky toffee pudding at home (Image: Getty)
Autumn is the perfect time to indulge in some hearty, comfort food cooking to help keep warm as the weather begins to turn. A classic British pudding that’s perfect for the colder months is none other than sticky toffee pudding.
Former MasterChef runner-up Dean Edwards, who was on the show in 2006, recently demonstrated how you can whip up this classic pud with minimal effort. You won’t even need to use an oven. Instead, Dean prefers using another appliance that is often overlooked when making desserts.
The slow cooker is perfect for cooking sponges (Image: Getty)
However, the results can leave you with a moist and decadent sponge. Dean wrote in the video’s caption: “I won’t lie, I reckon I’d get a handshake from Mr Paul Hollywood if I made this for him on bake off. But he’d probably sling me out of the tent when he found out I made it in my slow cooker?”
Yes, you won’t need to put the pudding anywhere near the oven. Instead, the slow cooker can do all the work for you.
Simply mix the sponge’s ingredients all together, then pour it into the slow cooker pot. Cooking over a longer amount of time will allow the sponge to keep itself moist, with a tea towel trapping the moisture in the pot.
Dean said: “Now this is where the magic happens. Use a tea towel underneath the lid of your slow cooker. This will trap any liquids which evaporate during the cook.
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“No one likes a soggy sponge, right?”
Dean’s video has already been viewed over 23,500 times, receiving 710 likes and six comments, at the time of writing. Nikkita commented: “Yes, one of the most moist cakes I’ve ever made.”
Christy simply wrote: “Oooooooh yes!!!”
So if you’re looking for an even easier way to make sticky toffee pudding from scratch, here’s how you can recreate Dean’s recipe at home.
Slow Cooker Series Sticky Toffee Pudding
Ingredients (serves four to six)
- 180g dates chopped
- 150ml boiling water
- 90 unsalted butter
- 140g dark muscovado sugar
- Two eggs
- 40g black treacle
- 175g self-raising flour
- One tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the toffee sauce
- 100g unsalted butter
- 100g dark muscovado sugar
- 150ml double cream
- Pinch sea salt
Method
Soak the dates in the boiling water for 30 minutes then use the back of a fork to break them down. While the dates are soaking, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy then beat in the eggs one at a time.
Whisk through the treacle then the sifted flour and bicarbonate of soda. Fold through the dates until fully incorporated.
Decant the sponge mix into your slow cooker pot, which has been greased with butter. Place a clean tea towel over the top then stick the lid on, cook on the high setting for one hour and 45 minutes.
Remove the lid and tea towel then turn off the power, leave to stand for 10 minutes before serving.
To make the sauce, pop the butter, sugar and cream into a pan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves, bring to a boil and simmer for two to three minutes until thickened.
Add salt to taste. Serve the sponge with a good helping of the toffee sauce and a dollop of clotted cream.
