Sticky Date Cake With Caramel Sauce Food

STICKY DATE PUDDING WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180oC.
• Grease and line the base of 23cm deep round cake tin.
• Put the dates in a pan with 1 3/4 cups water, bring to the boil then remove from the heat.
• Add the bicarbonate of soda and ginger and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
• Coarsley mash with a potato masher.
• Cream together the butter, sugar and 1 egg.
• Beat in the remaining eggs one at a time.
• Once the eggs are well beaten, gently fold in the sifted flour and spices, add the date mixture and stir until well combined.
• Pour into the tin and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
• Cover with foil if over browning during cooking.
• Leave to stand for 5 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.
• To make Caramel Sauce: Put all the ingredients in a pan and stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
• Simmer uncovered, for about 3 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
• Brush some sauce over the top and sides of the pudding until well glazed.
• Serve immediately with the sauce and a dollop of cream.

STICKY TOFFEE DATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-round cake pans or 20 muffin tins.
• Place the dates in large saucepan with 3 1/2 cups cold water. Bring to boil, stirring a little to break up the dates. Then leave to simmer for 1 minute before removing from the heat. Stir in the baking soda (which will cause the mixture to bubble up).
• Cream the butter and sugar together in a food mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, occasionally scraping down mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and then the flour and salt and mix briefly to give a lumpy dough.
• Next, add the warm date mixture in two batches. Scrape down the sides of bowl in between mixing. The dough will now be quite watery but don't worry! Finally add the baking powder (this will bubble up also).
• Pour the batter evenly into the two pans or muffin tins. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes for cake pans and about 20 minutes for muffin tins. Test if they are cooked with a small knife or toothpick, it should come out clean when cakes are done.
• Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer gently for a minute or two until thickened and well blended.
• When the cakes are done, poke little holes all over with toothpick, this will enable the sauce to be absorbed more easily. Pour the caramel sauce over cakes while both are still warm and leave to soak for about 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out upside-down onto serving plates (the bottom is the most sticky bit!).
• Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

IRISH STICKY DATE PUDDING WITH IRISH WHISKEY TOFFEE SAUCE

Steps:

• Grease 10-cup (2.5 L) Bundt or tube pan; dust with flour. Set aside.
• In saucepan, bring water, dates and baking soda to boil; let cool.
• In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour with baking powder; stir into butter mixture alternately with date mixture, making 2 additions of dry ingredients and 1 of date mixture. Scrape into prepared pan. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven for 45 minutes.
• Irish Whiskey Toffee Sauce: Meanwhile, in saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in sugar until dissolved. Add cream and bring to simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in whiskey; keep warm.
• While still in pan and using skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over cake; pour 1/3 cup (75 mL) warm sauce evenly over top. Bake until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.
• Invert cake onto platter. Poke holes all over; pour 1/3 cup (75 mL) more sauce over cake. (Make-ahead: Let cool completely. Wrap in plastic wrap; store in airtight container at room temperature for up 2 days. Cover remaining sauce and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat to serve.).
• To serve, cut into slices; drizzle with remaining warm sauce. Serves 12.
• Canadian Living Magazine: March 2007.

STICKY DATE NUT PUDDING DESSERT WITH CARAMEL OR TOFFEE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix boiling water, baking soda and butter together and pour over dates. Let cool slightly.
• In a separate bowl mix cake batter: sugar, egg, vanilla, flour and chopped nuts.
• Combine the cake batter with date mixture and mix well.
• Pour the batter into a greased 8x8" pan (or use a 9x13" pan if doubling recipe).
• Bake at 350 F for approximately 20-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• For Caramel Sauce: Combine sugar, water and butter in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring, reduce heat and simmer for approximately five minutes while adding cornstarch or flour to thicken sauce. (Mix cornstarch or flour with small amounts of cold water and add to sauce).
• For Toffee Sauce: Combine sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan, bring to a boil, stirring, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes until thickened.
• Cut the cooled cake into very small square pieces.
• In a pudding bowl - layer 1/2 of the cake pieces, then 1/2 sauce and 1/2 tub Cool Whip. Repeat layer. Chill and serve!

STICKY DATE CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C Line 18 holes of muffin pans (1/3 cup measure) with paper cases. This recipe uses 'regular' muffin pan size not the Texan/large style.
• Combine the dates and 1 1/4 cups boiling water in a small saucepan, Bring to the boil over low-medium heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and mash lightly with a potato masher. Stir in the bicarb/baking soda and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the butter and brown sugar into the warm date mixture until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves.
• Stir in the eggs until combined.
• SIft in the flour and ginger, then fold in with a metal spoon until combined.
• Divide the mixture into the paper cases and smooth the mixture over with the back of a spoon.
• Bake 15 minutes or until the tops are firm when touched.
• Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
• To make the icing- combine the butter, brown sugar and the cream in a small saucepan over a low heat, stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Bring the mixture to just below boiling point, then reduce the heat to low-medium and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened.
• Remove from the heat and gradually beat in the ising sugar until smooth.
• Spread the icing onto cakes and decorate by sprinkling with the optional sugar.