Air Fryer Recipe
Sticky Toffee Pudding Waffle Bites
A lovely twist on classic sticky toffee pudding, turned into crisp, bite-sized waffle pieces that are just right for the air fryer.
Ingredients
- 200g pitted dates, chopped
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 80g unsalted butter, softened
- 140g dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180g self-raising flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 120ml whole milk
- 100g dark brown sugar (for sauce)
- 100g unsalted butter (for sauce)
- 120ml double cream (for sauce)
Method
- Put the chopped dates in a bowl, sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda, pour in 150ml boiling water, give it a quick stir, and leave for 10 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract.
- Fold in the flour and salt, alternating with the milk, until the batter is smooth.
- Stir through the soaked dates, along with any liquid left in the bowl.
- Preheat the waffle iron, grease it lightly, pour in enough batter to cover the base, close, and cook until golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Cut the waffles into bite-sized pieces, preheat the air fryer to 190°C, arrange the pieces in a single layer, and air fry for 5-7 minutes until crisp and golden.
- In a small saucepan, combine the dark brown sugar, butter, and double cream, then heat gently, stirring, until smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Serve the waffle bites warm, with the toffee sauce drizzled over.
Why this works in an air fryer
The waffle iron sets the batter into thin, ridged pieces with plenty of exposed surface; the air fryer then drives off moisture fast by convection, crisping the sugar-rich edges. Soaked dates keep the centres chewy, while bicarbonate softens the date skins and helps browning in the alkaline batter.
Equipment notes
Timing assumes a 5–6 litre basket air fryer with waffle pieces spread in one layer; in a smaller single-drawer model cook in batches and shake at 4 minutes, while dual-zone drawers may run slightly cooler when both sides are on, so swap drawer positions or add 1–2 minutes.
Common pitfalls
- Waffle pieces soft rather than crisp after 7 minutes? They are too crowded or still steaming; return them in a looser single layer for 2–3 minutes and leave the drawer slightly open for 30 seconds before saucing.
- Edges dark but centres damp? The waffle batter was too thick in the iron or undercooked before cutting; cook the remaining waffles a shade darker before air frying, and cut larger pieces smaller so heat reaches the middle.
- Batter sticking to the waffle plates? The date sugars are catching on dry metal; lightly brush the hot plates with neutral oil or melted butter between batches and wait until the waffle releases rather than forcing it.
- Toffee sauce splitting or looking greasy? It has been boiled too hard; take it off the heat, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons warm cream, then reheat gently only until glossy.
Variations & substitutions
- Use light brown sugar instead of dark brown for a milder sauce and less treacly batter; the bites will brown a little less quickly, so judge by crispness rather than colour alone.
- Swap whole milk for oat milk for a dairy-light batter; it makes a slightly less rich crumb, so avoid over-air-frying or the centres can dry out.
- Add 1 teaspoon ground ginger or mixed spice to the flour for a warmer flavour; spices darken the crumb visually, so check the edges for crispness rather than assuming they are burning.
- Stir 50g chopped pecans into the batter for crunch; smaller nut pieces work best as large chunks can hold the waffle iron open and give uneven cooking.
Storage & reheating
Keep unsauced bites in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 3–4 minutes and warm the sauce separately before drizzling.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
