Delicious Sticky Toffee Dessert Recipe

Delicious Sticky Toffee Dessert Recipe

Sticky Toffee Date Cake: A To-Die-For British Dessert

Time to indulge in a sweet, sticky delight from across the pond with this classic British dessert, often known as Sticky Toffee Pudding. Don't worry if you can't find Medjools - any decent dates will do the trick!

Serves 8Difficulty: MediumTime: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1/2 pound (1 1/4 cups) pitted, coarsely chopped Medjool dates
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

For the Toffee Sauce

• 6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

For the Cake:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat 8 (6-ounce) ramekins with butter and dust with flour; set aside.
2. Combine dates, water, and baking soda in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside.
3. Whisk together salt and flour; set aside. Prepare a water bath by bringing a medium pot of water to a simmer.
4. Cream together butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in date mixture, followed by flour until just combined.
5. Divide batter evenly among ramekins and place them in a roasting pan or baking dish (you may need both a 13x9-inch dish and an 8x8-inch dish to fit them all). Pour simmering water into the bottom of the baking dishes until halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully place pan in the oven and bake until the center is just set and a cake tester comes out clean - about 50-60 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the toffee sauce.

For the Toffee Sauce:

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add brown sugar and vanilla extract (or vanilla bean) and heat until bubbling and the color of maple syrup - approximately 5 minutes.
2. Carefully add cream, continuing to stir, and cook another 2 minutes until the sauce bubbles up and increases in volume; remove from heat.
3. Remove the ramekins from the oven and let them cool. Run a knife around the perimeter of each and invert to remove from the ramekins. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed, drizzled with warm toffee sauce.

Insights

The origins of this delicious dessert are somewhat controversial, but it's agreed that it's British in origin and has been popularized since the 1970s, particularly by Francis Coulson, who served it at his hotel in the UK[1][2]. In the UK, "pudding" refers to a sweet dessert, unlike the North American meaning of a custard-like mixture. The dessert consists of a moist sponge cake soaked in dates and topped with a sweet, sticky toffee sauce, typically made with ingredients like butter, cream, and golden syrup[1][3]. Modern variations of this dessert exist worldwide, including ice cream versions that combine the flavors of the original dessert with the creamy texture of ice cream[1].

[1] Food Network Kitchen. (2020). Sticky Toffee Pudding. [Video], 4:08. https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/sticky-toffee-pudding-1936559

[2] National Trust. (n.d.). The history of sticky toffee pudding. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/the-history-of-sticky-toffee-pudding

[3] The Telegraph. (2002, February 13). Sticky Toffee Pudding - The bird's nest pudding gets a modern makeover. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/5546904/Sticky-toffee-pudding-The-birds-nest-pudding-gets-a-modern-makeover.html

[4] The Guardian. (1993, July 10). Sticky cake connects us with family folklore. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/1993/jul/10/foodanddrink

[5] Total Food Service. (2016, June 13). Sticky Toffee Pudding - The History. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.totalfoodservice.co.uk/chefaction/1898-sticky-toffee-pudding-the-history

1. The dessert consists of a moist sponge cake, made with coarsely chopped Medjool dates, which is soaked in the dates' mixture, and topped with a sweet, sticky toffee sauce, incorporating ingredients like butter, cream, and brown sugar.
2. To enhance the nutritional profile of this Sticky Toffee Pudding, one could explore reducing the amount of sugar and increasing the fiber content by using a variety of dried fruits, such as dates, prunes, or apricots, and experimenting with natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey.
3. When serving this dessert, one could provide alternative toffee sauce options catering to various dietary needs, such as dairy-free or vegan versions, to allow for wider enjoyment of this classic British dessert.

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