Sticky Toffee Date Cake Copycat Food

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.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a bundt pan with a nonstick cooking spray.
• Put the dates in a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over them and let sit 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar, butter and eggs. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently mix. Add the dates with their liquid and mix. Use a light hand; don't overbeat or the cake will be tough.
• Add the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, making sure to check after 45 minutes to make sure the cake does not get too dry. Let cool for 15 minutes, then unmold the cake and cool on a rack until slightly warm.
• For the pudding: In a medium pot, combine the brown sugar, butter, cream, vanilla and salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Place the cake on a platter, pour the pudding over and garnish with the crushed toffee bar.

STICKY TOFFEE WHOLE-WHEAT DATE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees and butter an 8-inch square or 9-inch round cake pan.
• In a small pot, combine dates, lemon juice and 3/4 cup/180 milliliters water. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer gently until dates soften and start to fall apart, about 6 minutes. Add currants to the pot and set aside to cool completely.
• While date mixture cools, stir together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla and cooled date mixture, followed by flour mixture.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly and smoothing the surface. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
• Meanwhile, make the sticky toffee: In a small pot (you can use the same one you used for the dates), combine agave, brown sugar and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking to dissolve sugar. Once sugar dissolves and bubbles, remove from heat and swirl in butter.
• When the cake comes out of the oven, spoon half the sticky toffee over it and let cool in the pan on a wire rack. (It will soak into the cake.)
• When the cake has cooled completely and the remaining sticky toffee has thickened, spread it over the cake with an offset spatula. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and serve. Store, loosely wrapped, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

NO-BAKE STICKY TOFFEE BALLS

Steps:

• Put the dates, brown sugar and butter in a microwave-safe medium bowl and cover. Microwave on high in 1-minute increments, stirring in between, until the butter has melted.
• Transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the walnuts, orange zest, vanilla, salt and graham crackers and pulse until the mixture comes together into a stiff and slightly tacky ball. Scoop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough and roll them into balls. Refrigerate the balls until firm, about 1 hour.
• Roll the chilled balls in sanding sugar. The sticky toffee balls can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

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 DATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
• Mix the dates and baking soda in a bowl.
• Pour boiling water on top and leave until needed.
• Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition.
• Fold in the sifted flour, stir in the date mixture, and pour into a greased 18cm or 7" square or round cake tin.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
• For the sauce: Combine sugar, cream, vanilla essence and butter in a saucepan, bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for five minutes.
• Set aside until ready to serve.
• Cut pudding into squares and place each square in the centre of a warm dinner plate.
• Pour hot toffee sauce (reheat if neccesary) over each square and serve with ice cream.