Delia Smith Sticky Toffee Pudding Food

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.

ULTIMATE STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING

Steps:

• Stone and chop 225g medjool dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour over 175ml boiling water.
• Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
• Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• While the dates are soaking, make the puddings. Mix 175g self-raising flour and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda together and beat the 2 eggs in a separate bowl.
• Beat 85g softened butter and 140g demerara sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar). Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions.
• Beat in 2 tbsp black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour and bicarbonate of soda mix, then half of the 100ml milk, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour mix and all the milk is used.
• Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter. The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter.
• Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.
• Meanwhile, put the 175g light muscovado sugar and 50g butter pieces for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the 225ml double cream.
• Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Stir in 1 tbsp black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the double cream.
• Remove the puddings from the oven. Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out.
• You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they'll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce. To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes.
• Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them. Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn't smudge (no need to chill).
• When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling. Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.

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.

ABSOLUTELY SINFUL! STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING WITH PECAN TOFFEE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/360°F Lightly butter 8 x 3" ramekin dishes. I like to spray them to coat them evenly.
• Soak the dates in the boiling water for about half an hour to soften them. Add the bicarbonate of soda, vanilla essence and coffee mixture, mix well and allow to soak for 30 minutes more.
• In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, and beat well after each addition. Fold in the sifted flour, again a little at a time, gently mixing through after each addition.
• Then add the date mixture. You should have a fairly sloppy mixture, it looks all wrong - but it is ALL right, I promise you! Divide the mixture equally between the ramekins, place them on a baking tray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until well risen.
• Cool for 5 minutes, then loosen them around the sides with a butter knife and turn out. The puddings can be cooled and frozen at this stage. After freezing, defrost, pour the hot sauce over and re-heat to serve as instructed below.
• To serve:- Place the puddings in a shallow ovenproof dish. Heat the grill. Make the sauce by melting the butter, cream, pecans and sugar together in a pan, and stir well.When just boiling, pour HALF of the sauce over the puddings; and then continue to heat the sauce on a rolling boil until it has thickened.
• Place the puddings 5" below the grill and cook for about 8 minutes, making sure that the nuts and sauce does not burn too badly; you should have toasted nuts in places, with a sticky toffee glaze which is almost crunchy.
• Serve with the extra toffee sauce in a heatproof jug, chilled cream, custard, ice-cream, or just NAKED!