Get In Touch With Your Inner Brit: Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky, wicky, ooey, gooey goodness; full of warm flavors and toffee. This is how I would describe Sticky Toffee Pudding if I had one sentence to do it. But since this is a blog, and I can elaborate all I want, I will give you a longer description, even though I think my first attempt conveys the deliciousness of this dessert best.


For the Non-English of you out there, just because this fine dessert is labeled "pudding" does not mean it resembles the tubs of chocolate gunk we buy in our American super-markets. It is more like a moist cake made with mushed up dates, served hot out of the oven and covered in wonderful warm toffee sauce and some vanilla ice cream (if your in the "a la mood"). 


To sum thing up, you must try this recipe. But it is definitely a fall/winter time treat, so your window for making it starts.... now! Quick! You only have till January to get it done.


Sticky Toffee Pudding
*adapted from Sweet! by Mani Niall


Toffee Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (120g) dark brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons molasses
• pinch of salt

Pudding Ingredients

• 6 ounces pitted dates, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup candied ginger, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups (175g) flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Two hours before you plan on baking the dessert, prepare the dates. In a small saucepan, heat the dates and water. Once the water begins to boil, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the baking soda and the ginger, it will look crazy cool like the picture below. Set this aside, placing the lid for the saucepan over the mixture leaving a crack open to allow the dates to cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes place the lid all the way on to keep them warm. 

2. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 and butter a bakers edge pan, an 8 1/2 inch souffle dish, or similar sized baking dish. 

3. In a medium saucepan, bring the brown sugar, molasses and salt to a boil, stirring often to melt the sugar. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 5-7 minutes, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of your spoon. Pour half the sauce into your souffle or bakers edge pan, and reserve the rest for serving. ( I put the reserved amount in the fridge for awhile to allow it to thicken, only caused I was pressed for time)

4. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

5. In the bowl of a standing mixer using the paddle attachment, or with hand beaters, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on med-hi speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure the first is incorporated before adding the second. Beat in the vanilla and turn off the mixer. (The mixture may look a little curdled, this is OK)

6. Uncover the dates mixture and mash it all up with a fork to make a puree.

7. Add half the flour mixture to your butter, sugar and eggs mixture, turn the mixer back on low and incorporate. Add the date mixture, then add  the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix!

8. Remove your baking dish from the freezer and scrape the batter into it, evening it out with a spatula. For a bakers edge pan, bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. For a souffle dish bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

9. Let the pudding cool slightly before serving, but make sure to serve it warm because thats when it is tastiest! Top with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzle with the reserved toffee sauce before serving!