Sticky Date Pudding with Irish Whisky Toffee
Gooey, luscious and fully satisfying- the perfect winter treat.
Jan 10, 2009
A few years ago, Haagen-Dazs released a sensational ice cream flavour- The Sticky Toffee Pudding Ice Cream causing industry trend trackers to declare the British favourite a new North American classic (replacing the now ubiquitous Latin American Dulce de Leche). Essentially a brown-sugar cake with a rich, buttery, caramel-like sauce, the sweet has continued to show up in numerous incarnations all over the continent- from full, lusciously gooey cakes to-go, to mini cupcake-like versions sitting in a pool of golden sauce, and in ice creams galore. And what’s not to love? People have been lapping up toffee and caramel in everything from truffles, tarts to hot drinks for years now- so it’s no surprise that this particular dessert has found such a fond place in so many’s repertoires for a sweet finish to their meal.
Food Trends adapted and amalgamated some favourite recipes for the English dessert and has given it a decidedly adult twist using Irish Whisky to flavour both the cake and sauce and dates to add a luxurious moistness to the cake. Here’s hoping that this winter, this Sticky Date Pudding with an Irish Whisky Toffee Sauce keeps you warm, gives you some sweet comfort and makes your taste buds sing!
Sticky Date Pudding with an Irish Whisky Toffee Sauce Recipe
Ingredients for Pudding:
- ½ cup Irish Whisky
- ¾ cups of pitted, roughly chopped Medjool dates
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ cup of unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- ½ cup of demerara sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract
- Whisky Toffee Sauce (see below)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F and grease either a Bundt pan or a 10” round or square baking dish.
In a medium saucepan, combine whisky, chopped dates and baking soda, bringing these to a boil. Once this has reaching boiling, remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
In another bowl, combine butter and sugar, beating with an electric mixer for about 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Beat eggs in one at a time until well incorporated. Add vanilla and gradually add the flour mixture until well blended.
Add to this the dates and their liquid, stirring with a spatula until flour mixture until well blended.
Pour into pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. Preheat broiler and spoon about ½ cup of sauce over your pudding, spreading evenly on top. Continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cook in pan for 10 minutes.
Turn out onto serving plate and serve warm with a good drizzle of warm Whisky Toffee Sauce. Serve with an Irish Coffee or a good dram of Whisky.
WHISKY TOFFEE SAUCE RECIPE
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups of packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup of unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup of good quality Irish whisky
Method:
Combine the butter, cream and sugar in a medium, heavy saucepan. Stir constantly and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium low until mixture is thickened (8-10 minutes). Continue to simmer until sauce is reduced by almost half.
WRITER'S NOTE:
You will likely have leftovers which will keep for a few days in the fridge in a tightly sealed container. Delicious over hotcakes, served with scones, angel food cake and fruit, over ice cream or with tea biscuits- the choices are endless. Enjoy!
 |
