Sticky Toffee Pudding

Great British Baking Show: “The Beginnings” (Netflix), Season 5 (PBS)                                                   –A.K.A. The Great British Bake Off Series 3

Episode 6:                                                                                                                                                         Signature Challenge– Sponge Pudding & Accompanying Sauce

 

As Sue said in the episode, a pudding is a quintessentially British dessert and when someone says pudding in the U.K. they mean something completely different from when someone says pudding in the United States. This challenge was completely new for me. When Americans say pudding, we mean a more of a custard type dessert eaten with a spoon. When Brits say pudding, they mean a type of cake-like dessert that’s usually cooked by being boiled or steamed. They can be sweet or savory. A traditional savory version of the dish is something they call “spotted dick” which is steamed, dotted with currants, and flavored with beef fat. A traditional sweet pudding would be sticky toffee pudding which I have heard of. Some traditional puddings, like the sticky toffee, have been adapted overtime and so can be baked as well as steamed in order to cook it, but it’s still called a pudding. This Vox article is where I got my explanation for the difference between American and British pudding.

The signature challenge required two sweet puddings with accompanying sauces. Since British puddings are an entirely new concept for me, I decided on the traditional sticky toffee pudding and a simple steamed chocolate pudding. The sticky toffee pudding recipe required regular baking in the oven, and I used a regular 9×13 cake pan instead of a bundt pan. The chocolate pudding was cooked in a baine marie, or water bath, so I was trying a new cooking method. I’ve used a water bath to cook creme brulee, but never a cake type dessert like this. Overall both these recipes were rather easy to make and I would definitely use them again! The sticky toffee pudding was my favorite of the two. It’s sweetened with dates and the toffee sauce goes on top, mhmm! This post will go into detail of how I made the sticky toffee pudding. My next post will be all about the steamed chocolate pudding.

To start off, I prepped my ingredients, so I chopped the dates, and measured out most of the other ingredients in bowls so I could throw it in quick when I got to the next step. First off is getting the chopped up dates to a boil in some water and then I added in the baking soda after I took the dates off the heat. The dates then had to cool down. While that was cooling, I buttered and floured my 9×13 cake pan.

Next I sifted flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Then in my stand mixer I beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla together. One of the eggs went into the stand mixer and was beaten in, then half of the flour and date mixtures. Then this was repeated, the last egg went in, then the rest of the flour and date mixtures. After it was all blended together, it went into my prepped cake pan and into the oven. The recipe said it needed 40 minutes, I ended up cooking it for about 25, possibly because I used a different type of pan to cook it in.

While the pudding was in the oven, I started working on the toffee sauce. All it is is butter, brown sugar, and heavy cream mixed together and brought to a simmer for a few minutes and then vanilla is stirred in.

Once that was done, I was just waiting on the pudding to come out. I cut the pudding into little squares and laid them out on serving dishes and then poured some toffee sauce onto each one. They taste absolutely delicious! The recipe I used said they can be served with whipped cream or ice cream.

Recipe borrowed from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients:

Pudding

• 1/4 c. butter
• 1 1/2 c. sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c. chopped pitted dates
• 1 1/4 c. water
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

Toffee Sauce

• 1 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. butter
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Put chopped dates and water into large skillet over medium heat and bring to a boil, will take a few minutes. Then take off heat and add in baking soda. It will bubble up. Put to the side and let cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 9×13″ cake pan. In medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In large bowl or stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add in one egg and beat.
3. Add half of flour mixture and half of cooled date mixture and beat until incorporated. Add last egg and beat, then add rest of flour and date mixtures and beat until incorporated.
4. Pour into cake pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Until golden brown and a pick inserted into center comes out clean.
5. While pudding is baking, in a large skillet, combine brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter for toffee. Bring to a boil over medium low heat and constantly stir for about 3 minutes. Then take off heat and add in vanilla.
6. When pudding is cooked and has cooled a few minutes, cut into squares and put on serving dishes. Add a scoop of toffee sauce onto the top of each square. Serve by itself or with whipped cream or ice cream.

 

 

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Check out my next post to see the other half of this signature challenge: steamed chocolate pudding!