Passport & Plate - Sticky Toffee Pudding
United Kingdom | Friday, March 6, 2015 | 5 photos
Ingredients
For Cake:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 c. baking dates (can use 3/4 c. chopped pitted dates mixed with 1 c. boiling water and 1 tsp. baking soda - see recipe note)
1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For sauce:
1/2 c. unsalted butter
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 c. packed light brown sugar
For serving:
heavy cream (whipped or not)
vanilla ice cream
How to prepare this recipePreheat oven to 350* and butter an 8-inch round/square/rectangle baking dish. If not using baking dates, mix chopped pitted dates, boiling water, and baking soda and set aside.
Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the egg and vanilla until just blended. Slowly integrate the flour mixture, stirring the batter until all of the flour is incorporated. Add the baking dates (or your date mixture), adding a little hot water if necessary to keep dough from becoming too dry. Transfer dough to the baking dish and bake for about 20 min., or until a chopstick inserted into the cake comes out relatively clean.
In the meantime, heat the butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream in a small saucepan until boiling, then turn down heat to low and stir the mixture for a few moments.
When the cake is done cooking, remove it from the oven and poke holes all over it with the chopstick. Pour half of the toffee mixture onto the cake, allowing the toffee to seep into the cake. Turn on the broiler and replace the cake in the oven until the toffee is bubbly and starting to turn golden brown. Remove and let stand five minutes before serving.
Serve cake with more toffee sauce, heavy cream (whipped or not), and vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
The story behind this recipeMy semester abroad in Scotland the fall of my senior year in college introduced me to many things, one of the best being heaven in a dish. Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of those foods that tastes better than it sounds or looks, and is a traditional dessert served all over the United Kingdom. My parents (who had never even had passports before) came to visit me in Scotland that semester, and my dad especially shared my affinity for this dessert. Since they were technically on vacation, that was justification enough for the three of us to share some after every meal.
Ever since then, when I’ve attempted to recreate this recipe at home, I’m transported back to the misty afternoons of Scotland in November, cozying up in a pub somewhere after an afternoon hike, finishing off our meal with the satisfyingly sweet, warm cake oozing with toffee sauce and cream. Sticky Toffee Pudding reminds me of how connected place and food are, and how transformative a process eating (and preparing) food can be. It also reminds me not to judge a food by its name or its looks, which is an important lesson to keep in mind in the midst of our Instagram-obsessed culture. Everyone thinks food has to look absolutely incredible, but to me, as long as it tastes good, anything else is just a bonus! Some of the best foods I’ve tried often look like unidentifiable globs of something unappetizing, but don’t be afraid! Many people say they’ll try anything once, but my food philosophy is actually that I’ll try anything twice. If you’re trying a new food, your taste buds have no idea what to expect, so trying to make a judgment call on the first bite is almost always problematic, so I wait until the second to make any decisions.
Oh, and a little pro tip should you find yourself ordering this dessert from a pub in the U.K.: when they ask you if you’d like your Sticky Toffee Pudding with ice cream or heavy cream, the correct answer is “both.” Indeed, it is not for the faint of heart.
