Recipe: Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING WITH TOFFEE SAUCE

FOR THE PUDDING:
Butter for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

FOR THE TOFFEE SAUCE:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

TO PREPARE THE PUDDING:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-by-1 2-inch or 9-by-1 3-inch baking dish.

Combine dates and water in a medium-size saucepan and simmer over low heat, covered, for about 7 minutes, until dates are soft. Remove pan from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Drain well; set aside.

In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and brown sugar. Add vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

In a medium-size bowl, combine flour with baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until combined.

Fold in softened dates. Transfer batter to prepared baking dish.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the pudding springs back when you touch it and a cake tester comes out clean.

TO PREPARE THE TOFFEE SAUCE:
Melt 1 cup butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in brown sugar, water and salt. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to boil; stir occasionally, cooking until the sauce is thickened slightly and reduced to about 2 1/2 cups. Keep the sauce warm over very low heat until you are ready to use it.

While cake is still very warm, use a fork to poke holes in the top. Pour about 1 1/2 cups of warm toffee sauce over the pudding. Let the pudding cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes, until most of the sauce is absorbed.

Cut into squares and serve from the pan, with the remaining toffee sauce on the side.

Makes 10 servings
Source: Salty Sweets by Christie Matheson