Jamie Oliver’s rich sticky toffee pudding hailed as 'amazing' thanks to hidden ingredient

The British repertoire of puddings is extensive, but one desert takes precedence in the minds of Britons as the winter months roll in; the sticky toffee pudding.

Voted the nation’s favorite dessert in 2022, the English and Scots were both quick to lay claim to the invention of the sweet treat.

Jamie Oliver, an avid fan of the British desert, has devised several creative twists on the recipe, including one that contains a surprising ingredient.

As shown in a demonstration video, the chef couples herbal Earl Grey tea with dates to elevate the dish's rich flavours. He discussed this take on the dessert while filming alongside his mother for a clip shared on Channel 4 Food’s YouTube channel.

Fans of the chefs who put the unorthodox recipe to the test were quick to confirm that it is a triumph, with several hailing the recipe as “amazing.” Here’s how it goes.

READ MORE: Jamie Oliver's 'amazing' Yorkshire puddings are so easy to make - recipe

Ingredients:

• Two Earl Grey tea bags
• 200g fresh Medjool dates
• One level teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• One level teaspoon of ground ginger
• One whole nutmeg, for grating
• 250g leftover cooked pumpkin or butternut squash
• 170g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing (at room temperature)
• 340g of self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• Toffee sauce
• 170g golden vaster sugar
• 170g dark muscovado sugar
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 50 ml dark rum
• 300ml double cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F / gas 4
2. Let the tea bag steep in a jug containing 150 ml of boiling water for roughly 3 ½ minutes. Meanwhile, destone the date and put it into a food processor with the cinnamon and ginger, and finely grate in half the nutmeg. Remove the tea bags from the water and pour the tea over the dates, pushing them down so they’re submerged. Leave them to soak with the lid on for 10 minutes. Add the roached pumpkin or squash, then blitz to a purée.
3. Butter and lightly flour a 26cm Bundt tin or a 20 cm x 30 cm baking dish. In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter and sugars using a wooden spoon. Beat in the eggs, one by one then, using a large metal spoon, stir in the flour and fold in the puréed dates. Pour the pudding mixture into your chosen receptacle, then bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
4. For the sauce, cube the butter and melt in a small pan on medium heat. Add both the sugars, then, once nicely mixed, add the rum and double cream. Bring to a boil, then simmer for around five minutes, or until a lovely deep golden colour.
5. As soon as the pudding is out of the oven, flip it out onto a platter and brush all over with enough sauce to form a crispy sugar and keep the sponge nice and bouncy. Sprinkle with some sea salt and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.