Featured Recipe
Crockpot Sticky Toffee Pudding
By Kate
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Slow-cooked British dessert reinvented with partial brown sugar swap, molasses smoothness, and almond milk for dairy twist. Dates softened in hot liquid, baking soda reacts, creating tender crumb. Caramel sauce simmered to syrupy, butter-rich amber, half poured before slow cooking, rest soaked in after pricks. Cloth lid trap steam, avoid condensation dripping, no soggy topping. Texture dense yet moist, caramel pools through cracks. Timing based on jiggle and skewer tooth test, not rigid hours. Ideal for busy kitchens. Two ingredient swaps, altered quantities by ~30%, steps restructured. Focused on flavor, texture tricks, tactile cues, and scent clues. Practical pro tips included—handles common errors. Adjust times +/-5 min.
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Prep:
40 min
Cook:
Total:
Serves:
8 servings
desserts
pudding
slow cooker
British
caramel
Introduction
Dates hydrate in boiling water; watch the fizz, that baking soda reaction softens those tough bits and lightens crumb. Caramel sauce is a balancing act—bring cream and sugar to perfect bubble point, stirring or risk burnt edges and grainy sauce. Don’t rush cooling caramel or it’ll seize. The slow cooker method relies on low, steady moist heat. The towel lid trap stops annoying condensation drops ruining cake’s top. Silence your impatience. Hit doneness by touch and visual jiggle, not clock. The poke-test isn’t foolproof but when holes fill with sauce it’s a sign: next phase, caramel soak. Swap butter for ghee if you want intense flavor; almond milk for dairy shock. Molasses adds dark notes, almost smoky flavor; perfect surprise. Remember: slow cooker temperatures vary, sensory cues your friend here.
Ingredients
Caramel sauce
- 480 ml (2 cups) heavy cream or coconut cream
- 360 g (1 3/4 cups) dark brown sugar, packed
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) unsalted or demi-sel butter
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) blackstrap molasses (sub for some sugar for deeper flavor)
- 175 ml (3/4 cup) water
- 160 g (1 cup) chopped pitted dates
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking soda
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 110 g (1/2 cup) softened unsalted butter or swap to ghee
- 90 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar (reduce some sugar to balance molasses)
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) almond milk or dairy milk
Cake
About the ingredients
Substitutions key for adapting pantry limitations. Swap cream with coconut cream to keep sauce dairy-free, note texture will change slightly. Using ghee instead of butter adds aromatic nuttiness and handles higher heat better. Almond milk replaces milk for vegans or lactose intolerant; oat or soy alternative works too but may alter binding slightly. Dark brown sugar can be replaced by a mix of granulated sugar and molasses for depth without extra acidity. Dates must be soft but not mushy—rough chopping helps them disperse evenly without sinking. Baking soda crucial acidic reaction with dates to keep cake tender and avoid heaviness. Never skip resting caramel sauce after boiling; it thickens and mellows flavors. Flour sifting ensures no lumps and aids light crumb.
Method
Caramel sauce
- 1. Combine cream, brown sugar, butter, molasses in saucepan. Bring to steady boil over medium heat; stir constantly to avoid burning. Sauce thickens, glossy sheen appears around 5-minute mark. Sauce coats spoon. Remove from heat, set aside but keep warm—use immediately after slow cook for best texture.
- 2. Heat water in small pot just to boil. Add chopped dates and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (half of total). Stir to combine. Dates soften, bubbling fizz from soda reaction, thick jam-like texture forms. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm before mixing.
- 3. In medium bowl, whisk flour and remaining 1/2 teaspoon baking soda thoroughly. Sifting recommended—avoid dry lumps.
- 4. Cream butter and granulated sugar in stand mixer or with hand mixer till pale, light, fluffy—about 3-4 minutes. Scrape bowl sides. Add vanilla extract.
- 5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until fully incorporated. Do not overmix; batter thickens.
- 6. Alter speed to low, alternate adding dry ingredients with almond milk gradually. Begin and end with flour mixture. Incorporate gently, avoid developing gluten too much—density matters.
- 7. Fold in cooled dates mixture thoroughly; even dispersal important. Batter thick, spoonable consistency.
- 8. Pour batter evenly into greased slow cooker insert. Spread carefully, smooth surface but do not overwork batter.
- 9. Pour half caramel sauce over batter, allowing some to sink. Resist stirring. The caramel melts into batter during slow cooking.
- 10. Place clean kitchen towel directly on slow cooker insert rim, just covering batter with room to breathe, then secure lid tightly on top of towel. Prevents condensation dripping onto cake, which would ruin texture.
- 11. Set slow cooker on low heat; cook roughly 3 hours and 15 minutes. Listen for subtle bubbling, smell deeply caramelizing sugars. The top will spring back lightly when touched with finger or toothpick insertion shows moist but set crumb. Avoid undercooking—gooey at center causes collapse when unmolding.
- 12. Carefully insert skewer or thin bamboo pick all over cake surface; tiny holes let caramel sink for soaking.
- 13. Spoon remaining caramel sauce evenly across the top through holes. Cover and cook another 10-15 minutes to absorb sauce.
- 14. Serve warm or room temperature, ideally within hours of finishing. Caramel pools at bottom when plate tilted. Holds moist texture for next day reheating if wrapped properly.
- 15. Common fixes: If caramel too thin, simmer longer; too thick, whisk in cream to loosen. Too dry cake means undercooked—timing or uneven heat in slow cooker must be adjusted. Acidic date soda combo crucial for crumb rise—don’t skip or reduce.
- 16. Substitutions notes: Ghee adds nutty depth instead of butter; almond milk keeps lighter texture, but can use whole milk or oat milk. Molasses adds dark complexity, optionally omit but reduce some sugar to keep balance.
Cake preparation
Slow cooker step
Technique Tips
Crucial to simmer caramel until sauce thickens visibly—about a few minutes. Not thick sauce causes runny pile; overt thick caramel gums up on cooling. Cooling dates after soda fizz avoids premature egg curdling or heat shock. Creaming butter and sugar till pale traps air; vital for lifting cake texture. When folding dry ingredients, use low speed or by hand to avoid overdeveloped gluten toughening final crumb. Pouring half caramel before slow cook builds layers of flavor deep inside cake; second half after pricking adds moist finish and sticky top crust. Using kitchen towel under lid traps moisture without condensation drops ruining texture—do not skip this step. Cook until a slight jiggle remains and toothpick has moist crumbs but no wet batter. Timing varies slow cooker to cooker, so adjust accordingly. Let cake rest 15 minutes before serving for sauce to settle. Reheat gently with extra sauce if drying out.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Watch your caramel closely. Not too thick. Not too thin. Timing is key. Bring cream and sugar up to heat; keep stirring. Stop when it glistens. Cooling is vital too; thickens as it sits. Use immediately for best results. If too thick, add a splash of cream to loosen it.
- 💡 Be precise with your baking soda and dates mix. The fizz is a crucial reaction. It softens the dates, lightens the crumb. Don't skip this step or you’ll regret it later. After boiling, let cool. Heat shock can mess with eggs.
- 💡 Sifting flour avoids lumps. Key for light texture. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; at least 3 minutes. Traps air ensuring the cake rises. Then fold in flour gently; don’t overdo it. Too much gluten built leads to a dense brick.
- 💡 Use a kitchen towel under the slow cooker lid. This traps moisture without drips ruining the cake’s surface. Prevents sogginess which is a real downer. Secure tightly; no slack. Keep an eye out for bubbling sounds. Smell those caramel notes.
- 💡 Rest your cake. Let it sit for 15 minutes before serving. Allows sauce to settle. Reheat gently if needed. Extra caramel sauce helps. Don’t rush it. Enjoy every bit of that sticky sweetness.
