Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes

This past week was pretty priceless.  I got to fly to Hawaii to meet my new nephew.  His name is Liam, and he is so beautiful and whole and precious, what a blessing!  Every baby is.  He was born to my youngest brother Andrew and his wife Melissa.  He is a Navy coreman stationed with the Marines on an enormous base near Kailua, Oahu.  He married such a freaking spectacular woman in Melissa, adding another amazing sister-in-law to our family.  For three days, my Mom and I cooked for them.  We did a few other things, but didn't even go to the beach!  It was cuddle time and cooking time and it was everything I could have hoped.  For the last night of the short trip, I wanted to cook a special celebration dinner and I went all out.  I asked Melissa to choose the dessert - she has a sweet tooth that rivals even mine.  She requested something I made around this time last year, for a classic St. Patricks Day feast Zack and I threw - sticky toffee pudding.  Near as I can tell, a pudding is a catch all term people in the United Kingdom use for a dessert. This is a cake made with dates, and a wonderful deep dark toffee sauce.  It absolutely must be served with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whip cream.  It is stupid good.  and just in time for St. Paddy's day!  Make it friends!

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CAKE
adapted from David Liebovitz
4-8 individual or 1 large pudding cake

For the toffee sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup dark brown sugar or muscavado if you can find it
1/4 cup molasses (use only 2.5 tablespoons if you use muscavado sugar)
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon whisky or bourbon
generous pinch of salt (and more to taste)

For the date cake
6 ounces pitted dates,  chopped
1 cup water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups (175g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F and butter an 8 1/2-inch (24cm) porcelain soufflé dish (or similar-sized baking dish.).  You can also make these individual as I prefer to do.  4 8oz ramekins (as I did), 6 6oz ramekins or 8 4oz ramekins. 

To make the toffee sauce:  Make the toffee sauce by bringing the cream, dark brown sugar,  molasses and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring often to melt the sugar.  Lower heat and simmer, stirring constantly for about 5-7 minutes, until the mixture is thick and well coats the spoon. Turn off the heat and whisk in the butter and bourbon.   NOTE:  If the sauce separates, you can fix it by whisking in another couple tablespoons of cream.  Pour half the sauce into the prepared soufflé dish or divide between ramekins and place in the freezer, and reserve the other half of the toffee for serving.

To make the cake:  In a medium saucepan, heat the dates and water.  Once the water begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in the baking soda.  Set aside for a few minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, at least 4 minutes.  Gradually beat in the eggs, then the vanilla. (Don’t be alarmed if the mixture looks a bit curdled.)

Stir in half of the flour mixture, then the date mixture, then add the remaining flour mixture until just mixed. Don’t overbeat the batter.

Remove your chosen baking dish/s from the freezer and divide the batter in between.
Baking times:  You are baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
ONE  8 1/2 inch dish: 45-50 minutes
FOUR 8oz ramekins: 35-40 minutes
SIX 6oz ramekins: 30-35 minutes
EIGHT 4oz ramekin: 25-30 minutes

Remove the cakes from the oven, and let cool slightly before serving but they are best served warm!

ENTERTAINING NOTE:  I prepped all the components of this cake before dinner and actually made it after.  I love doing this.  It gives time for guests to relax and digest before dessert and builds anticipation.  Draws that whole wonderful experience out!  To make the pudding in advance, bake the cake without the toffee in the bottom. Let cool, then cover until close to serving time. Poke the cake about fifteen times with a chopstick. Distribute half of the sauce over the top, as shown in the photo, cover with foil, then re-warm in a 300F  oven, for 30 minutes.

Serving: Top with ice cream, lightly sweetened whip cream and additional warm toffee sauce.