Sticky toffee pudding pancakes

I’ve recently started writing my ideas/thoughts down. I should have started doing it years ago, because I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dreamed up a fabulous sounding (at least in my head) recipe that I really want to try, but I don’t jot the idea down at the time, my scatterbrain forgets all about it and it never happens.
About a month ago I got the idea in my head that I wanted to try sticky toffee pancakes. I wanted them to have all the flavours of the classic and much loved sticky toffee pudding.
All I can say is, I’m extremely glad I wrote this idea down because these pancakes are seriously EPIC.
They are the best idea I’ve had in a long time.
I know they aren’t the traditional thin crepe style pancakes we usually have on Shrove Tuesday, but LOOK AT THEM.
I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate pancake Day than sitting down to a plateful of these sticky toffee sauce drenched pancakes, could you?

The brown sugar date studded pancakes are thick, fluffy and have a hint of mixed spice. The toffee sauce is just divine. I could eat it all by itself. Pass me a spoon! You will have extra sauce, but that’s hardly a problem. You’ll thank me later! It’s out of this world poured over ice cream. Or a spoonful swirled in your morning porridge. Or spooned directly in your mouth.
I served the pancake stack with the heavenly chantilly cream, which is double cream lightly whipped with a little icing sugar and vanilla extract. For a final flourish, I sprinkled with chopped walnuts. It was on another level!

Sticky toffee pudding pancakes
This pancake recipe is based on my usual recipe which I posted way back in 2012! It’s a great recipe I must have made literally hundreds of times by now!
Makes around a dozen pancakes, although you could make them smaller!
For the Sticky toffee sauce
170g soft dark brown sugar
60g butter
150ml double cream
1 tbsp treacle
Place all the ingredients in a pan. Gently heat until the butter and sugar are completely melted and the sauce has thickened slightly.
For soaking the dates
80g dates
4tbsp (60ml) water
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
Place the dates in a small pan with the bicarbonate of soda and water. Bring to the boil, turn the heat down to low and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the dates. This should only take a few minutes. Remove from the heat and leave for at least 30 minutes. When the dates have cooled, chop into small pieces. They will be very soft and pulpy.
For the pancakes
250g self raising flour
1tsp ground mixed spice
75g soft dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
60ml melted butter or flavourless oil
150-200ml milk
Place a non stick frying pan or girdle (griddle in America!) on a medium heat.
Sieve the flour and mixed spice into a medium sized bowl.
Place the sugar, eggs, vanilla and melted butter or oil in a large bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved, making sure there are no lumps of sugar. Add the flour and milk and whisk until you have a thickish smooth batter. You might need to add a little more milk. Fold in the chopped soaked dates.
Your pan should be nice and hot now, so drop a little butter in and wipe off the excess with a piece of Kitchen towel. Place spoonfuls of the batter in the pan and when lots of bubbles starts to appear on the surface of the pancake, it’s time to flip it over. Once the pancakes are ready, keep them warm by wrapping in a tea towel placed over a wire rack. (You don’t have to do this but I do because it’s what my Granny did!)

To assemble, stack the pancakes, pour over the warm toffee sauce, top with softly whipped chantilly cream and sprinkle with chopped walnuts if you like – heaven!!

I can’t express just how good these are, but don’t take my word for it – give them a try for pancake Day on Tuesday! Even if it’s just for yourself. Heck, especially for yourself!
PIN ME FOR LATER…