Sticky Toffee Pudding: a History - Thompson House (2024)

FAQs

Who first made sticky toffee pudding? ›

The origins of sticky toffee pudding are disputed. Owners of several pubs, including the Gait Inn in Millington, East Riding of Yorkshire (claimed to 1907) and the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh, Aberdeenshire (1960s), claim to have invented it.

Cartmel is the home of Sticky Toffee - it's something we're very proud of, just as we are of our 12th century Priory, and the racecourse which runs straight past our Village Shop. Here is where Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding was born – we started baking in the back kitchen of our Village Shop over 30 years ago.

Do the puddings need to be refrigerated? Yes!

That's right, this yummy pudding was created by Canadians! Decades later, Martin gave the recipe to Sharrow Bay Country House Hotel employees Francis Coulson and Robert Lee. They were the first people to publically sell this sticky sensation, which inevitably became an international smash.

The sponge is at its best on the day it is made as if the whole sponge is reheated in an oven there is the risk that it can dry out a little. The sponge will also become firmer when it is stored in the fridge.

The Sticky Toffee Pudding Company was founded in Austin, Texas by Tracy Claros, a native of England and a passionate baker since childhood. Everything is baked in small batches with an emphasis on fresh and natural pantry ingredients and a generous hand.

Like the Christmas pudding and figgy puddings before it, the sticky toffee pudding is usually steamed for maximum moisture. Instead of figs, however, very finely chopped dates are added to the cake, which gets covered in a toffee sauce.

While a few different restaurants across England claim they created the dessert, the Scots argue that it was first served at the Udny Arms Hotel Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1967, where it is still expertly served to this day.

A taste of Sticky Toffee Pudding

The Irish love to eat it as a dessert or snack, accompanied by vanilla ice cream (for a touch of freshness!). You'll find them in most local restaurants serving Irish cuisine, but you can also find them in pastry shops.

The finished pudding is served along with custard, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream to complement the rich sauce.

Can you eat expired sticky toffee pudding? ›

Most boxed foods have an expiration date for best freshness but will be ok to eat long after the expiration date. I would say yes, it's safe to eat within a reasonable amount of time. Maybe 2 or 3 years. A lot of packaged foods have preservatives that will keep them from going bad for years.

Sticky toffee pudding has a decadent, soft and almost chewy caramel/toffee flavor and texture. Although many sticky toffee pudding recipes don't call for a spice mixture, we include a small amount of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg into ours which adds a subtle depth of flavor that compliments the sweet richness.

Iconic Sharrow Bay Hotel, which invented Sticky Toffee Pudding and coined the phrase 'Country House Hotel', closes.

Energy: 600 calories

Proportion of total calories contributed by protein, carbs and fat.

Although its origins are unclear, it was likely invented during the 20th century in the Lake District of northwest England, from where its popularity spread across the country.

Most food historians agree that the sweet treat likely originated in Wales and then rose to prominence across Britain and Europe where supplies of butter and eventually imported sugar were plentiful. English toffee maintains its extreme popularity due to its unique flavor profile and regional variations.

As Sarah Holliday, co-owner of the Cartmel Village Shop, a longtime Cumbrian purveyor of sticky toffee pudding, told BBC, "We've championed it, embraced it and pushed it forward more than anyone else. But we did not invent it."