Stout Sticky Toffee Pudding

This was inspired by a knockout dessert I ate at The Harwood Arms in London: a malted treacle tart with a stout caramel sauce. That sauce! I had to find a way to use it—and, in this very British pud, its subtle bitterness takes the already perfect sticky toffee pudding (STP) to the next level. Allow me to introduce you to the SSTP. It is mandatory that you serve it thus: top each SSTP with a ball of vanilla ice cream and pour the caramel sauce over the top.

(PS Beer experts: I know that a London Porter isn’t technically a stout, but please allow me the satisfaction of alliteration here!)

Makes 6

INGREDIENTS:

Bitter Alexina Anatole

• 7 tbsp (100 g) butter, browned, plus extra for greasing

• 7 oz (200 g) Medjool dates, pitted, torn into pieces

• ½cup (125 ml) dark rum (Mount Gay works well here) or boiling water

• scant ½cup (90 g) dark brown sugar

• 1½cups (175 g) self-rising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

• 2 eggs

• 5 tbsp whole milk

• 1 tbsp treacle or blackstrap molasses

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

for the sauce

• 18 tbsp (250 g) butter

• 1¼cups (250 g) light brown sugar

• 1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream

• ⅔ cup (150 ml) London Porter

to serve

• vanilla ice cream

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

• 6 dariole molds or ramekins (around 1 cup/220 ml capacity)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and butter the dariole molds or ramekins.

2. Place the dates and rum in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat. Use a fork to mash the dates into a rough paste and set aside.

3. Place the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a medium to large mixing bowl and whisk together until combined, using your hands to break up any lumps of sugar.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, milk, treacle or molasses, vanilla and mashed dates, then add these to the dry ingredients and whisk just until you have a homogenous batter.

5. Divide the mixture equally among the dariole molds, then bake in the oven for 20–22 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

6. Leave to cool for around 5 minutes before releasing them from the molds. Slice the domes off to ensure a level base.

7. For the caramel sauce, melt the butter and sugar together over medium heat, whisking frequently as it starts to bubble. After 3 or so minutes the sugar should have melted fully and the mixture will be thick. Take the pot off the heat, allow to cool for a minute, then whisk in the cream. If you’ve used unsalted butter add a pinch or two of sea salt flakes at this point as well. Put the pot back on the heat and bubble away for 2 minutes, whisking regularly. Next, add the London Porter and then let the sauce bubble away for 10 minutes, whisking regularly, until slightly thickened and glossy. (If your sauce splits, whisk in a tablespoon of freshly boiled water—this should bring it back together.) Serve the sticky toffee puddings in shallow bowls, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and covered in a generous quantity of the caramel sauce.

TIP

Incorporating browned butter into cakes is a great way of adding depth of flavor. It works especially well with autumnal and winter flavors—think caramel, nuts and sweet spices.

Excerpted from Bitter by Alexina Anatole, © 2025. Imprint: Interlink Books. Photographs © Yuki Sugiura.

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