Sharrow Bay Hotel Icky Sticky Toffee Pudding

[StayAtHomeMummy]

Better than the sainted Nigella's version, IMHO. Got the recipe from a magazine years ago, was devastated when it got thrown out of the window into the rain along with my favourite recipe books when we were burgled three years ago. But managed to rescue it and retype it.

Comes with a very easy to make sauce - you pour some over and grill/bake a bit longer for a really sticky topping, the serve the rest separately.

Anyone want the recipe?!

Back soon...

[WigWamBam]

Yes please ... dh would love me forever

[PollyLogos]

Sounds delicious, so ....... yes please!

[StayAtHomeMummy]

*StickyToffeePudding Pud
175g stoned dates, chopped
1tsp bicarb
175g butter, softened
150g light muscovado sugar
1tbsp black treacle
2 large free range eggs
175g self raising flour

*Sauce
100g butter
200g light muscovado sugar
200ml double cream

Place the dates in a bowl with the bicarb and cover with 300ml boiling water. Leave to cool.

Cream the butter and sugar together with the treacle until fluffy then gradually add the eggs. Fold in the flour alternately with the date mixture (and its liquid). Tip into a deep, greased ovenproof dish (I use a souffle dish) and bake at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 40-45 mins. Check that it's cooked by inserting a skewer, which should come out clean.

For the sauce, bring everything slowly to the boil then bubble away for 3-4 mins. Once the pudding is done, pour about half the sauce over the top, leaving about a cupful to hand round separately. Place the dish under a preheated grill for about 2 mins, or retunr to the oven for 4-5 mins. Serve with pouring cream and extra sauce.

[StayAtHomeMummy]

Good, low calorie fare

[StayAtHomeMummy]

It's got fruit in it

[WigWamBam]

Has to count towards your five-a-day

Thanks for that

[StayAtHomeMummy]

The more the merrier, Nanou1

It's really good. I think the bicarb stage must soften the dates, because you don't really notice them, they just blend into the pud. I chop them quite finely anyway as DD thinks she doesn't like them!

Let me know how you get on.

[PollyLogos]

I don't like dates. Could I leave them out or should i replace with something (like sultanas)?

[StayAtHomeMummy]

Oooh, I don't know, I think they're fairly integral. Having said that, the rest is pretty much a fairly standard cake mixture, so I guess there's no huge reason why not - it will probably just be a bit lumpier, as the sultanas won't break down in the way that the dates do. You could give it a try and report back...

[Lucycat]

Have you stayed there? it's fab!

[Cappuccino]

I have a fab easy sticky hot choc pud recipe somewhere

with its own integral sauce

doddle; all shoves in oven together

but I can't be fagged digging out the recipe tonight

if anyone wants it they'll have to bay loudly at a later date

[wurlywurly]

polly i dont like dates but will eat them in sticky toffee pudding, you cant actually tell that they are dates.

[Spidermama]

Yum! That sounds very similar to the one I made for Christmas dinner pudding only I used demarara for the sauce and not muscavado.

How's the muscavado then? Is it kind of treacly and slightly bitter? How does it affect the toffee?

Aren't those ingredients outrageous!!
My family all loved their Christmas pud though.

[Spidermama]

You can leave the dates out poll, though I agree they seem to be quite palatable when wrapped in a light golden sponge and drenched in warm toffee sauce.

[StayAtHomeMummy]

Thanks Lucycat, glad you liked it!

Regarding the dates, I think you're right, you don't really notice them, even if you think you don't like them, esp if you cut them up finely. But I'll be interested to see how it turns out if you omit them.

Spidermama, I think the muscovado is a bit more strongly flavoured/less refined. Think it gives a lot of the flavour to the toffee sauce (cos I tested it after the ingredients had melted together but before they boiled ) and it tasted like toffee sauce even at that stage. Hence I think the boiling stage not being too technical.

We're still working our way through Sunday's pud, scooping out a portion and microwaving with a little spoonful of the leftover sauce and some ice cream. Little and often