sticky fingers

i promised to post the recipe for the fantastic sticky date pudding with toffee sauce that we had for dessert last weekend. unfortunately, we devoured it before i could even think about taking some pictures. but what better excuse do i need for making another one : )

this pudding is so evocative for me of the first winter that we spent here, struggling with the freezing weather, being away from friends and family, being a bit homesick but still excited about the adventure we had embarked upon. the first time i made this was when my friends pip (hi, pip!) and sam came to visit us that first winter, so it reminds me of them as well. we had seconds the following day with cups of tea, setting a precedent for all future sticky date puddings in the kitschenette household. mmmm. i love how food becomes so bound up in memories.

although there is usually enough pudding left over for the next day, funnily enough the toffee sauce ALWAYS gets consumed (last week donat was eating it by the spoonful, scooping it straight out of the jug an dinto his mouth). inevitably, i have to make up an extra batch the next day to go with the leftovers. note to self: make double batch of sauce next time!!!

here then, is jill dupleix's sticky toffee pud:

sticky toffee pud (via jill dupleix, 'old food'):

180g dates, pitted and chopped

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 cup boiling water

50g butter

150g soft brown sugar (about 1 cup loosely packed)

2 eggs

180g self-raising flour, sifted

toffee sauce*:

150g soft brown sugar

250 ml single cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp butter

* i would really recommend making double quantities, because it is so, so, delicious. also good with icecream!!!

how:

- heat oven to 180°c. line a 18cm square or round springform baking tin

- mix dates and bicarb soda, pour over boiling water. leave to stand

- cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time, fold in the sifted flour.

- stir in the date mixture (including the water) and pour into prepared tin.

- bake for 30 - 40 mins or until it can be cleanly skewered.

- toffee sauce: combine sugar, cream, vanilla, and butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

- simmer for 5 mins or so (sometimes a few mins more) until it has thickened nicely (remember, it will thicken upon cooling).

- to serve: cut pudding into slices, as big as you dare. liberally douse/drown with hot toffee sauce. add a decadent dessertspoonsful of thick, rich cream. oh....

- this pudding fed 3 greedy pigs (me, bruno, donat) two helpings, twice (donat came again for dinner the next day).

- the next day: if you have any leftover pudding (depending on how greedy you were the previous day), you can easily re-heat the pudding by wrapping in foil and placing it in a medium oven for 20 mins or so. similarly, the toffee sauce can be GENTLY re-heated. or, maybe you should just make more, more, MORE!!!

gosh, this is such a great pudding. i shall have to make it again very soon. i just so love the toffee-ish taste of the sauce, the soft sticky dates, the cake with the cream....divine.

Comments

[pip]

Hi Cherie! I too remember that sticky toffee pud weekend, (tho I've always called it sticky date pudding, something my friend Anne always thought sounded rather risque). I got the recipe from you then and have been making it regularly ever since- it is ALWAYS a big hit- I can't tell you the number of times I've given the recipe to others too. We are in Washington in the middle of a snowstorm today, I am so tempted to make the pudding today!

[susan]

good cake