With summer officially over, Britons are spending less time in their gardens and more time in their kitchens, swapping barbecues for baked goods and sunnies for oven gloves.
If you're looking for a tasty recipe to try this autumn, look no further than the sticky toffee pudding. Wholesome and hearty, the rich dessert has established itself as a quintessentially British classic.
Speaking exclusively to GB News, head chef Will Hickton shared his favourite recipe for the dessert. Mr Hickton leads the team at The Club House in West Bexington, a Dorset restaurant described by Tripadvisor reviewers as "stunning" and a "little gem".
He said: "Sticky toffee pudding is one of those desserts that feels unmistakably British. Rich, comforting, and steeped in tradition, it has become a fixture on pub and restaurant menus across the country.
"Its appeal lies in the combination of light sponge, sweet fruit, and a deep caramel sauce, a reflection of Britain's love of hearty puddings that finish a meal with warmth and substance."
Here, the chef shared his sticky toffee pudding recipe exclusively with GB News.
Ingredients
To make six to eight individual puddings or one large pudding
For the pudding
- 175g dried apricots, very finely chopped
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 300ml boiling water
- 50g butter
- 100g caster sugar
- 50g vanilla sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 225g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the topping
- 215g dark muscovado sugar
- 115g butter
- 6 tbsp double cream
'Sticky toffee pudding is one of those desserts that feels unmistakably British'
|THE CLUB HOUSE
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
'Rich, comforting, and steeped in tradition, it has become a fixture on pub and restaurant menus'
|GETTY
Method
Prepare the topping
Place the topping ingredients (dark muscovado sugar, butter, and double cream) into a small pan.
Stir gently over a low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil and simmer for three minutes. Pour the sauce into buttered pudding basins (or small mugs if preferred).
Prepare the pudding batter
Place the finely chopped apricots in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda.
Pour over the boiling water and leave to cool thoroughly.
Make the cake mixture
Cream the butter with the caster sugar and vanilla sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
Sift the self-raising flour and baking powder together, then fold into the creamed mixture.
Stir the cooled apricot mixture into the batter.
Fill the basins
Divide the batter evenly between your prepared pudding basins (over the topping).
Bake the puddings
Cover the tray with aluminium foil. Place into a larger baking tray and pour water around the basins until it reaches halfway up their sides.
Cover the entire tray with another layer of foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for one hour.
Serve with your choice of ice cream, cream, or custard. Enjoy!
While sticky toffee pudding remains the gold standard of British desserts, fish and chips is a savoury favourite.
One UK fish and chip shop recently celebrated over 100 years of great food in an "idyllic" location, making the list of must-visit UK restaurants.
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