Sticky Toffee Pudding al Prosecco

In 1948, Francis Coulson and Brian Sack bought the Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel on the shore of Ullswater in the Lake District, having found it through an advertisement in the *Manchester Guardian*, and by the 1960s they were serving what Coulson called an "icky sticky toffee sponge," a dark, moist date sponge drenched in a rich buttery toffee sauce. Coulson is said to have credited the recipe to Patricia Martin, who ran a hotel in Claughton, Lancashire, and Mrs. Martin in turn was said to have taken it from Canadian airmen billeted with her during the Second World War. The Gait Inn at Millington in Yorkshire claims a version as early as 1907, and the Udny Arms Hotel in Aberdeenshire has served one since 1967. Three regions, three claims; it was Sharrow Bay that fixed the modern form.

The key to the pudding is the dates. They are soaked in hot water, or tea, or coffee, until soft, then folded into the sponge batter, where they nearly dissolve in the baking and give the cake its dark, moist, almost fudgy texture. The toffee sauce is butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream, simmered until thick and glossy and poured over the warm cake so it soaks in. The pudding is served warm, never cold, and at its best with cold vanilla ice cream melting into the hot toffee.

Our Mimosavated version adds Prosecco di Valdobbiadene to the toffee sauce, just enough to add a bright, slightly acidic note that cuts the intense sweetness of the butter and brown sugar, so the sauce reads less cloying and more composed.

Ingredients (serves 8):

The Date Sponge: - 8 ⅞ oz Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped - 1 cup boiling water - 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) - 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter, softened - 5 ¼ oz brown sugar (dark or light) - 2 large eggs - 6 ⅓ oz self-raising flour (or 6 ⅓ oz all-purpose flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder) - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - A pinch of salt

The Prosecco Toffee Sauce: - 5 ¼ oz unsalted butter - 7 oz brown sugar (dark, for a deeper flavor) - ⅔ cup heavy cream - ¼ cup Prosecco di Valdobbiadene - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - A pinch of salt

To Serve: - Vanilla ice cream or clotted cream - Chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)

Making the Date Sponge: Preheat the oven to 356°F (350°F). Butter a 9 in (9-inch) square baking dish or individual ramekins.

Place the chopped dates in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda — the mixture will foam up dramatically. Let cool for 15 minutes.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Fold in the flour, vanilla, and salt. Fold in the date mixture (including the liquid) — the batter will be quite wet, which is correct.

Pour into the prepared dish(es) and bake for 30–35 minutes (20–25 minutes for individual ramekins), until the top is golden and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs. The sponge should be dense and moist, not cakey.

Making the Prosecco Toffee Sauce: While the sponge bakes, make the toffee sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Add the cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in the Prosecco, vanilla, and salt. The sauce should be glossy and pourable.

Assembling: As soon as the sponge comes out of the oven, poke holes all over the surface with a skewer or fork. Pour about half of the warm toffee sauce over the hot sponge, letting it soak in. Let sit for 10 minutes — the sponge will absorb the sauce and become even more moist and sticky.

Serving: Cut into squares (or serve individual ramekins). Pour more warm toffee sauce over each portion. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of clotted cream. The contrast between the warm, sticky pudding and the cold ice cream is the whole point.

The Mimosa Pairing Logic: Since the toffee sauce contains Prosecco, pair with a classic Prosecco mimosa — orange juice and Prosecco. The bright citrus cuts through the rich, buttery sweetness of the toffee. A peach bellini mimosa is also excellent — the peach complements the caramel notes of the dates and toffee. Avoid heavy or dry mimosas — the pudding is intensely sweet and rich, and you need something bright and acidic to balance it.

Reference Links: - Sticky toffee pudding on Wikipedia (Sharrow Bay, Francis Coulson): Wikipedia - The Lake District's sticky toffee pudding pioneers (BBC): BBC News - Who Invented Sticky Toffee Pudding (disputed history): ProJuice - Francis Coulson's original Sharrow Bay recipe: Sheridan Rogers - Prosecco di Valdobbiadene: Wikipedia

Make-Ahead: The sponge can be made a day ahead and reheated gently. The toffee sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated — gently reheat before serving. Once assembled (sauce soaked into sponge), eat within 2 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds before serving. The toffee sauce can also be frozen for up to 1 month.

Pro Tips: Use Medjool dates if possible — they're softer, richer, and more caramel-flavored than regular dates, and they nearly dissolve into the sponge during baking. The bicarbonate of soda is essential — it reacts with the hot water to break down the dates, making them softer and the sponge darker. Don't skip it. The sponge should be dense and moist, not cakey — if yours is light and cakey, you've added too much flour or overbaked it. Pour the toffee sauce over the warm sponge, not the cold sponge — the warmth helps it absorb. Always serve warm — cold sticky toffee pudding is a shadow of its warm self. The ice cream is not optional — the cold melting against the warm pudding is the entire experience.