Between Harry and Meghan's royal wedding and Central Market's latest event, Passport United Kingdom, there's been a bit more sophistication in the air. Central Market's pastry chef and one-half of the team behind the ultra popular Hot Box Biscuit Club, Sarah Hooton, shared a Sticky Toffee Pudding recipe that will have your guests tasting a dollop of the UK this fall.
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Serves 8-12
Ingredients
Cake:
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup dates, pitted and roughly chopped
½ teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons unsalted softened butter
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sticky Toffee Sauce:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup brandy (optional)
⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- Heat water and dates in a medium sauce pan until boiling. Turn heat down, add baking soda and mash dates with a whisk until paste-like. It's okay if it's a bit lumpy. Remove from heat.
- In a KitchenAid mixer, use the paddle attachment and cream the butter and brown sugar together until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, scraping the bowl as you go.
- Mix the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Alternate adding the date mixture with the dry ingredients to the butter/eggs mixture.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until just firm to the touch.
- For the topping: melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then slowly add cream and dark brown sugar, brandy (if using) and salt, whisking continuously until the mixture bubbles gently and comes together to form a smooth mixture. Cook over low heat until sauce reduces down by one-third and thickens slightly.
- Pour the topping over the cooked pudding.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream.
