Sticky Toffee Pudding By Simon Hopkinson Recipes

ENGLISH STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch round or square baking dish. Sift the flour and baking powder onto a sheet of waxed paper. Chop the dates fine. Place in a small bowl and add the boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a bowl of electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla; beat until blended. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Add the date mixture to the batter and fold until blended with a rubber spatula. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake until pudding is set and firm on top, about 35 minutes. Remove from oven to a wire rack.
• Toffee Sauce: Combine the butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil gently over medium low heat until mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. Preheat broiler. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the sauce over the pudding. Spread evenly on top. Place pudding under the broiler until the topping is bubbly, about 1 minute. Serve immediately spooned into dessert bowls. Drizzle with toffee sauce and top with a spoonful of whipped cream.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• Put the dates in a bowl and cover with the 1 cup boiling water to soften, at least 5 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 and grease a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Combine the 3 tablespoons butter, baking soda, a pinch of salt, Demerara sugar, 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla extract in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Add the dates and 1/2 cup of the water to the mixture; pulse until nearly smooth (specks of dates should remain visible).
• Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until just firm to the touch. (When the pudding has finished baking, remove from the oven and heat the broiler. Put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source.)
• Meanwhile, make the topping. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then slowly add 1 cup cream and 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt, whisking continuously until the mixture bubbles gently and comes together to form a smooth mixture; turn off heat.
• In another small saucepan over medium heat, make the extra sauce. Melt 3 tablespoons butter, then slowly add 1 ¼ cups cream and 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Repeat the process above.
• Pour the topping (careful not to use the extra sauce) over the cooked pudding and place the whole thing in the broiler until it bubbles and looks sticky, 1 or 2 minutes (watch it closely). To serve, spoon into bowls and cover with the extra sauce. If you like, add a dollop of whipped cream.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 1/4 cups of the heavy cream, the sugar, corn syrup and butter. Cook, stirring often, until a dark amber color, about 40 minutes. Carefully add the remaining 1 1/4 cups heavy cream. IT WILL BUBBLE UP AND IT IS HOT!
• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease seven 1/2 cup ramekins and set aside.
• Combine the dates and 3/4 cup water in a small saucepan and cook until the dates are softened, about 15 minutes. Puree in a blender and cool. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, egg, zest and date puree. Stir in the dry ingredients. Divide into the prepared ramekins and bake about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and remove the cakes from the ramekins. Slice the cakes in half horizontally. Rinse out the ramekins. Pour a little toffee sauce in the bottom of the ramekins and top with the bottom layer of the cake. Add more toffee sauce, place the top cake layer on top and cover with more sauce. Heat slightly before serving invert onto plate and yes ...cover with more sauce. Serve with whipped cream.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING - BY SIMON HOPKINSON

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 2. Pour 275ml/10fl oz boiling water into a large mixing bowl and add the dates. Stir and set aside until lukewarm. Meanwhile, measure out all the other ingredients for the sponge. Add them to the dates and water and mix together until well combined. 3. Blend the date mixture in a food processor until nearly smooth, but with a few specks of date still visible. Generously butter a baking dish on all surfaces and pour in the sponge batter. Bake for 40 minutes, or until just firm to the touch. 4. Preheat the grill to medium. 5. Meanwhile, make both the topping and the extra sauce by heating the ingredients gently in separate pans, whisking regularly, until they briefly boil. Pour the topping over the cooked pudding. 6. Place the sticky toffee pudding under a moderate grill until bubbling. 7. To serve, spoon the pudding into individual bowls and pour around the extra sauce.