FAQs

• What is the difference between Sticky Toffee and Treacle Sponge?

  Sticky Toffee and Treacle Sponge are both classic British desserts, but they have some differences in ingredients, preparation, and taste:
  
  Sticky Toffee Pudding: The main ingredients of sticky toffee pudding are dates, which are soaked and pureed to add moisture and flavor to the dessert.
  It also contains butter, sugar, eggs, and flour.
  The distinguishing element is the toffee sauce made from butter, sugar, and cream, which is poured over the pudding before serving.
  It’s incredibly moist and has a dense and sticky texture. The dates contribute to its softness and deep caramel flavor. The toffee sauce adds a buttery, caramel sweetness to the pudding.
  The toffee sauce is generously poured over individual servings, creating a sticky glaze that enhances the overall taste.
  
  Treacle Sponge Pudding: It is mainly made with flour, butter, sugar, eggs, and golden syrup or treacle.
  The treacle (or golden syrup) is a crucial component that gives the sponge its characteristic sweet and rich taste.
  It has a soft, cake-like texture.
  The treacle provides a unique caramel-like sweetness, making the dessert rich and flavorful. The sponge itself is not dense or sticky like sticky toffee.
  It is served with syrup inside and often also on top, and in the sponge, it is distributed more evenly rather than forming a distinct sauce.

• Is treacle typical of British sweets?

  The word “treacle” has historical roots and originally referred to any syrup obtained during the sugar refining process. It was a byproduct of sugar production and, over time, various types of treacle were produced, including the sweet and lightly colored golden syrup and the darker, more robust black treacle.
  
  The use of treacle in British desserts, including Treacle sponge pudding, can be traced back to the centuries-old tradition of using different syrups in cooking and baking, such as syrup sponge cake.
  
  As for pudding, similar steamed puddings have been part of British culinary tradition for centuries, with various recipes evolving over time.
  The use of treacle in steamed puddings likely emerged as a way to sweeten and flavor the mixture, making it more palatable as a dessert.
  

• Can Treacle sponge pudding be cooked in the microwave?

  The recipe was imported into the United States as a canned product that can be cooked in the microwave.
  For microwave cooking of the above recipe: microwave on high power for 4 minutes or until the sponge pulls away from the sides.

• Are Treacle and Molasses the same thing?

  Treacle is a British term that refers to any syrup created during the cane sugar refining process intended for human consumption.
  It includes molasses as well as golden syrup.
  It derives from the name given to a medicinal compound used as an antidote for snake venom.
  
  Molasses is obtained by draining raw sugar. Treacle, on the other hand, is created using syrup derived from sugar.
  
  Light Treacle is also called Golden Syrup and is the equivalent of Light Molasses. It has a light color and appears clear.
  
  *Black Treacle corresponds to Dark Molasses. It is dark and has a strong caramel flavor.
  
  Blackstrap Molasses, on the other hand, is the result of the third boiling of molasses.
  It has an even more pronounced character than black treacle and should be used sparingly.
  Its bitter flavor can be off-putting to many sensitive noses and palates.
  Additionally, blackstrap molasses is much thicker than golden syrup and descends slowly from the spoon.

• What is the difference between English and American pudding?

  In Great Britain, the word pudding is used to describe both sweet and savory dishes.
  Savory puddings include Yorkshire pudding, black pudding, suet pudding, and steak and kidney pudding; it is a solid mass obtained by mixing various ingredients with wheat flour or other grains.
  
  Unless qualified as savory, however, pudding usually means dessert, and in the UK, the word itself is used as a synonym for dessert.
  
  Puddings prepared for dessert can be boiled, steamed, baked, bread, batter, milk, or gelatine puddings and are very similar to our “puddings”.
  
  Boiling is the preferred cooking method for meat-based dishes flavored with herbs and spices.
  For baked pudding: the mixture is put into a pie dish or bowl, almost like a cake or pie.
  
  In the United States, pudding is a sweet, milk-based dessert similar in texture to egg custard or mousse, often commercially prepared using cornstarch, gelatine, or a similar coagulant like Jell-O.