How social media got Gen Z hooked on ‘proper puddings’

Gen Z’s dislike of alcohol and dedicated subscription to ‘little treat culture’ is well-documented. But did you know their affinity for classic sweets has spurred a serious restaurant dessert revival?

Statistics suggest the generation born between 1997 and 2012 is obsessed with eating at communal tables, sipping ‘loaded water’, and apparently making cups of tea without a kettle.

Gen Z is also in the spotlight for favouring classic British desserts like indulgent bowls of bread and butter pudding and the humble sticky toffee cake.

With roots dating back to the early 1900s, the STP is a rich Sunday lunch staple made from black treacle, blended oats, and dark brown sugar.

It’s also usually topped with a decadent toffee sauce and served with double cream, vanilla ice cream, or a hearty blob of custard.

(Getty Stock Image)

The sticky toffee pudding counts Mary Berry and Gordon Ramsay as firm fans, with the classic dessert actually appearing on the menu of more than 20 of the latter’s restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay at The Carnaby in Downtown Disney.

Food reviewer Bethany Vinton (bethanyvinton) recently went viral when she visited the eatery to sample the $15 delight.

At the time, she claimed it was served warm with vanilla ice cream and a hearty glug of toffee sauce.

STP Guy (@stp.guy7), a popular food creator on TikTok, may also be credited for driving nostalgia for simple, hearty desserts.

The British icon has reviewed almost 100 STPs on the platform and has amassed a cult following of more than 156,00 devotees.

His favourite? One served at Hawksmoor London Piccadilly with clotted cream.

“This was truly the Rolls Royce of STP’s,” the social media star said in a statement. “[It’s] rich, luxurious, sweet but not sickly. Perfect amount of sauce, which in and of itself was a delight.”

(Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Because of the classic dessert boom on social media, Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, situated inside 22 Bishopsgate, London, is thinking about adding more classic puddings to its ever-evolving menu.

Speaking to The Times about the sweet treat’s continued popularity, Devon Bax, executive head pastry chef at the restaurant, said: “Classic British puddings are having a real revival with our younger guests because they’re familiar without feeling old-fashioned, especially with how we are now serving them with a modern twist.”

The expert added that because consumers were so enamoured with the classics, he would be adding an apple and blackberry cobbler and a Mont Blanc pavlova with warm caramel sauce to the menu.

How to make the perfect sticky toffee pudding

Former Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry has previously shared a nut-free, pregnancy-friendly STP recipe with the BBC.

Ideal for rounding off a hearty dinner, her recipe is hailed by The Express as being ‘just the right amount of 'sticky and gooey’.

(BBC)

"Mary's all-in-one sticky toffee pudding is sticky, gooey and surprisingly light and easy. Baked in a large dish, this is a family-sized pudding, spooned out or cut into squares to serve.”

How to make the perfect sticky toffee pudding

Former Great British Bake Off judge Mary Berry has previously shared a nut-free, pregnancy-friendly STP recipe with the BBC.

Ideal for rounding off a hearty dinner, her recipe is hailed by The Express as being ‘just the right amount of 'sticky and gooey’.

"Mary's all-in-one sticky toffee pudding is sticky, gooey and surprisingly light and easy. Baked in a large dish, this is a family-sized pudding, spooned out or cut into squares to serve.”

Mary Berry's sticky toffee pudding

Ingredients - for the sponge

• 100g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 175g light muscovado sugar
• Two large free-range eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• One tsp baking powder
• One tsp bicarbonate of soda
• Three tbsp black treacle
• 275ml full-fat milk
• Double cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

For the sauce

• 100g butter
• 125g light muscovado sugar
• One tbsp black treacle
• 300ml pouring double cream
• One tsp vanilla extract

Method - cake

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 1.7-litre/3-pint ovenproof dish with butter.

Measure out butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and treacle into a mixing bowl.

Beat using an electric handheld whisk for about 30 seconds or until combined.

Pour in the milk gradually; whisk until smooth.

Pour mixed ingredients into the prepared dish. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until well risen and springy in the centre.

Method - sauce

Put all sauce ingredients into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the butter has melted. Bring to the boil.

To serve, pour half the sauce over the pudding in the baking dish, and serve with the cream or ice cream.