Sticky Toffee Pudding
Excerpted from The Unofficial Hogwarts Cookbook for Kids by Alana Al-Hatlani. Copyright © 2021 Ulysses Press. Reprinted with permission from Ulysses Press. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
This recipe is inspired by the dessert served at the entrance to the magical shopping alley in London. Full of warm, sugary goodness, this pudding is excellent on its own but even better with a homemade sauce.
Yield 12 servings
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 35 to 40 minutes
Ingredients
Cake
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, soft, divided
36 pitted Medjool dates
2 cups boiling hot water
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon instant espresso
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups granulated sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
3 cups flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Sauce
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ cup pecan pieces whipped cream, to serve (optional)
orange zest, to serve (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan with 1 tablespoon of butter, coating every inch of the pan.
2. Make the cake. Place the dates in a large bowl, pour the boiling hot water over them, and let sit until the water is cool enough to touch.
3. Add the espresso powder into the date mixture and stir to dissolve.
4. Blend the mixture, water and all, in a blender or food processor until the dates are broken into small pieces.
5. Stir in the vanilla extract and set aside.
6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with a handheld mixer, cream 1 cup of butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.
7. Slowly mix in one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl after adding each one.
8. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
9. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed to incorporate.
10. Add half of the reserved date mixture and mix on low speed, scraping down the bowl after mixing.
11. Add another third of the flour mixture, then add the rest of the date mixture.
12. Scrape down the bowl again and add the remaining flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
13. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
14. Allow the cake to cool and prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
15. Once melted, add the sugar and salt. Increase the heat to medium high.
16. Cook this mixture, stirring constantly until it turns a deep brown color, about 15 minutes.
17. Add the heavy whipping cream and continue to cook for another minute.
18. Stir in the pecans and remove the sauce from the heat. Let cool for 15 minutes
19. Once cooled, cut a square of the cake from the pan and drizzle the syrup over it. Top with whipped cream and orange zest, if using, and serve warm.
