It's Thursday the fifth, which means that tonight half the country will stand in a damp field in two coats and a hat, going "ooh" at the sky. Lovely. Then you get home and your fingers have stopped working.
So here's what we make when we come in from the cold: a proper sticky toffee pudding, made in a mug, sauce and all. No oven, no tin to scrub, and it's ready before the kettle's finished.
Makes 1 · About 10 minutes (including a short soak) · No oven
Ingredients
- 30g pitted dates, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp boiling water
- A pinch of bicarbonate of soda
- 20g butter, very soft
- 25g dark muscovado sugar (or dark brown soft sugar)
- 2 tbsp beaten egg (about half a medium egg)
- 1 tbsp milk
- 30g self-raising flour
- 15g butter
- 15g dark muscovado sugar
- 2 tbsp double cream
Method
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Step 1Put the dates, boiling water and bicarbonate of soda in a large microwave-safe mug and leave them to soak for five minutes.
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Step 2Mash the dates with a fork until you've got a rough, sticky paste.
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Step 3Beat in the soft butter, sugar, egg and milk until it's all one dark, glossy mixture.
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Step 4Fold in the flour until there are no dry bits hiding at the bottom.
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Step 5Microwave on full power for 1 minute 10 seconds to 1 minute 40 seconds. Microwaves vary, so check after the first minute. It's done when it has risen and the top is just set and springy.
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Step 6While it rests, microwave the sauce butter, sugar and cream in a small bowl or jug for 30 to 45 seconds, then stir until smooth.
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Step 7Pour the toffee sauce over the pudding and leave it for a minute before you dive in.
Take it with you
Tips
- For the sponge:
- Don't fill the mug more than halfway with the batter. It rises a fair bit, and toffee mixture on the microwave plate is no fun to clean.
- Poke a few holes in the top with a cocktail stick before you add the sauce. It soaks down into the sponge, which is the whole point.
- Everything comes out of the microwave very hot, the sauce most of all. Give it the full minute's rest. Your tongue will thank you.
- Custard, vanilla ice cream or a splash of cold cream on top all work. I'd go with ice cream, and I won't hear otherwise.
- If the dates are a bit dry, give them a couple of extra minutes in the hot water. Softer dates make a stickier pudding.
Mugs to make it in
We made ours in our #Firework mug, because what else would you use on the fifth of November? It's also a good one for your morning cuppa on the sixth, when you're still smelling faintly of bonfire smoke.
If you want something with more of a history-lesson feel, the #Gunpowder mug and the #GunpowderPlot mug are about the only mugs we know that come with a date already in the name. And for the friend who can rattle off the whole story of 1605 at the drop of a sparkler, there's the #TreasonAct mug. You'll know who I mean.
You can see the rest of the fireworks-and-bonfire lot in our Bonfire Night mugs. And if you'd like a pudding mug with someone's own name on it, have a look through our personalised mugs. A pudding tastes better when it comes in a mug with your name on, and I won't be told otherwise.
Looking ahead a bit: sticky toffee pudding carries on being right all the way through to December. Once the fireworks are over and everyone moves on to fairy lights, the Winterland mug or the Cartoon Snowman mug could take over pudding duty. There are more in our Christmas mugs if you're one of the organised people who has already started the list.
One last thing
Take the pudding outside if you like, but it's better on the sofa with a blanket. And if anyone asks where theirs is, it's Bonfire Night, so tell them you've already done the hard part and the recipe is right here.
