STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CAKE

I know I sound redundant this month, but truly, I have been so excited for every single recipe I’ve shared with you over the last few weeks, and today’s recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding is no exception.

You might have noticed I’ve posted a bit less than I normally have in holiday seasons past. That’s due to a lot of factors, but one of the main reasons is because I’ve been wanting to stay very dedicated to the idea of quality over quantity.

Cranking out holiday recipes is great (jealous of all those bloggers who can post every day!), but my life and time this year hasn’t been conducive to that plan, and honestly, it’s made me focus much more intently on giving you the best of the best recipes this holiday season.

This Sticky Toffee Pudding is just that. The best of the best.

Have you been fortunate enough to have this delectable dessert? It is amazing. Truly amazing.

I’ve had it a time or two over the years. My cousin Camille has raved about it, and most recently, my Aunt Marilyn made it for Brian and I after she returned from a trip to England and Ireland.

In a nutshell, Sticky Toffee Pudding is a British dessert classic.

A super tender cake, notably made with dates, is smothered in a silky toffee sauce, pecans (optional!), and drizzled with just a touch of cream.

You can leave it simple, of course…just that toffee sauce soaking into the perfectly sweet, delicious cake.

INGREDIENTS:

• CAKE:
• 6 ounces dates, pitted and finely chopped (about 8-10 medjool dates)
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (5.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cup (6.25 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• SAUCE:
• 3/4 cup (5.75 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 stick (4 ounces, 8 tablespoons) butter
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Pinch of coarse, kosher salt
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
• Additional heavy whipping cream for drizzling (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 6 to 8 ramekins (about 6 ounces each) with butter or cooking spray or lightly grease an 8X8- or 9X9-inch pan.
2. For the cake, in a medium bowl, stir together the dates, boiling water, baking soda and vanilla extract (see note for alternate method). Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
3. In a separate medium bowl, cream together the granulated sugar and butter with an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) until well-combined and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs and mix.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined.
7. Fold in the date mixture (no need to drain) until combined; don’t overmix.
8. Fill the ramekins evenly with the batter, about 2/3 full, or spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
9. Bake the ramekins for 18-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back to the touch (if using a square baking pan, bake for 22-25 minutes). Don’t overbake or the cake may be dry.
10. Let the cakes cool completely in the pan(s) – although the cake can be served slightly warm also.
11. For the sauce, combine the sugar, butter, cream, and salt in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the sauce is smooth and combined, 5-7 minutes.
12. If the cake was baked in ramekins, turn out onto individual plates (if baked in a pan, cut the cake into squares). Pour the warm sauce over the individual servings, and sprinkle with pecans, if using; drizzle with a teaspoon or so of heavy cream, also optional but terribly delicious.

NOTES:
Let’s talk dates for a second. I use large Medjool dates for this cake (visual here, although I’ve bought them mostly at Costco). Simply dig your fingers in and pull out the pit before chopping. They are sticky and sweet – chopping may seem a pain, but power through it. For a slightly easier option, consider combining the whole dates, boiling water, baking soda and vanilla in a blender or food processor and lightly pulling to chop the dates and combine.

The cake(s) can be made ahead, baked and frozen up to a month (or a day ahead of time – cover well overnight). Thaw and lightly warm the cake before serving. The sauce can also be made 1-2 weeks ahead of time and refrigerated. Warm lightly before serving.

I haven’t tried it yet, but I believe this recipe would do well baked in a 9X13-inch pan – instead of doubling, I’d probably 1 1/2 the recipe (unless you want an ultra-thick cake…then try doubling).

thanks done share recipes to : https://www.melskitchencafe.com/sticky-toffee-pudding/

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