Job Changes

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Sticky toffee pudding, served with clotted cream ice cream.
Would have drenched it in custard too,
but I was too lazy to make/buy any. 

An odd post for a so-called Bangladeshi blog, I know. But I've developed a strong affection for sticky toffee pudding over the last year, at a work canteen no less. Served as part of Sunday lunch, I looked forward to it every week. In theory, I would have eschewed overeating in the previous six days to reward myself on the Sunday, but reality was a little different. Although I did reward myself with the sticky toffee pudding anyway. Unfortunately, I am in the process of changing jobs, and will no longer have access to this particular canteen soon. But I can't imagine a life without sticky toffee pudding anymore, so I've decided I need learn how to make this particular dessert. 

The results are what you see in the recipe below. It's based on a Guardian Word of Mouth post, which in itself is a discussion of various recipes. I've both drawn from and altered them to make something similar to what was served to us at work. The ginger and spicing is as faithful a reproduction as I could manage, whereas the doubled toffee sauce (it'll become obvious from the recipe!) is a luxury we obviously didn't have at the canteen. Beware of this stick toffee pudding's rich and heavy sweetness. I know it's traditionally served warm with custard or ice cream, but why go for half measures - in my opinion it works best when served with both.

Ingredients (for the toffee sauce):

• 100.00 g unsalted butter
• 50.00 g muscovado sugar
• 70.00 g golden caster sugar
• 150.00 ml double cream
• Pinch of salt

Ingredients (for the pudding): 

• 175.00 g medjool dates
• 1.00 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1.00 teaspoon of shredded ginger 
• 300.00 ml boiling water
• 50.00 g unsalted butter, softened
• 70.00 g golden caster sugar
• 90.00 g dark muscovado sugar
• 2.00 eggs
• 170.00 g flour
• 1.00 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of ground cinnamon 

Method (for the toffee sauce)

• Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a milk pan, and place on a low heat
• Allow the ingredients to melt, stirring to ensure they do so evenly
• Once the ingredients are melted and mixed, turn the heat up to medium
• Bring to a boil, and thicken the sauce for 3 or 4 minutes, or to the consistency desired
• Butter a deep, square baking dish and pour in half the sauce. Place the dish in a freezer while preparing the pudding
• Retain the remaining sauce to pour over the pudding

Method (for the pudding):

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Stone the dates and chop into small pieces
• Add to the boiling water, along with the bicarbonate of soda and shredded ginger
• Leave to soak while preparing the pudding
• Chop the butter into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl
• Add the sugar, and cream the ingredients together. It may help to add the sugar a little at a time, and bear in mind that the end mixture will be grainy
• Beat the eggs gently, and mix them into the butter and sugar mixture a little at a time 
• Follow up by adding the spices and baking powder into the mixture, and fold in the flour in two batches
• Return to the soaking dates. Mash up their flesh slightly if the pieces of fruit seem overly large after soaking
• Pour the dates and ginger, along with their soaking water, into the batter 

The finished batter

• Pour the finished batter into the baking dish over pre-frozen toffee sauce
• Place in the oven for 30 to 45 minutes, until the pudding is just cooked. When placing a knife through the pudding, the blade should come out moist

The finished pudding before toffee sauce,
scored with a knife

• Take out of the oven, score the surface with a knife, and pour over the remaining toffee sauce
• Serve warm with custard and ice cream