I was only recently introduced to the joy of sticky toffee pudding. As a child chocolate was a prerequisite for any dessert I would consume, and therefore it never even got a look in.
But even after this introduction I still treated it as a naughty top shelfer, only to be eaten when I thought no one else was looking, or pined after on a restaurant menu.
Too long has this gooey indulgence been forced to hide.
Book Club dinner got penned in the diaries and I decided tonight was the night for a guilt free outing of this classic British dessert.
Who better to trust with this mighty task, but the one and only Delia Smith. A firm favourite of mine, she really does do her recipes justice. I've slightly adapted it to fit my taste buds (omitted the pecans, increased the sauce ratio!), but Delia's recipe in all it's glory can be found here.
Before you begin make sure you have the following ingredients:
175g dates
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsps coffee essence
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
75g butter
150g caster sugar
2 large eggs
175g self-raising flour
for the sauce
260g soft brown sugar
165g butter
9 tbsps double cream
Firstly, you will need to pit your dates, unless you are lucky enough to find some already prepared...
Pop the kettle and let it boil as you Chop the dates into rough pieces..
Next, add 175ml boiling water, 2tsps of coffee essence and 3/4 tsp of bicarb to the chopped dates. If there's any water going spare I suggest making a nice cuppa to help you on your way...
Move the date mixture to the side to stew so you have room for next step - creaming the butter and sugar. Delia suggests using an electric whisk here, but I found that with a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease I got the same results...
Once creamed - it will become lighter in colour and consistency- add the eggs
Now gently fold in flour, preferably with a metal spoon
and finally combine this with the date mixture...
Depending on what dishes you have handy either separate into 8 separate ramekins or slop it all in one big oven dish :)
Now whack her in a preheated oven (180C) for approx 25 minutes and let the magic happen...while you clean up...whoops
Take your masterpiece out of the oven when it looks something like this...
Now time for the best bit...the sticky toffee sauce.
Simply heat the butter, brown sugar and cream in a pan at a medium heat, until a smooth sauce forms
Pour the sauce liberally (this is why I made extra) on to your pudding portions and put under the grill for 5-8 minutes. Don't be scared to leave it there for those extra few minutes...it is supposed to bubble and will provide you with the scrummy chewy top layer! Serve with ice cream or cream and ENJOY!
Going
Going
Gone
It's fair to say that it went down a treat so get sticky and get involved!
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