Everyday Gourmet

Everyday Gourmet
We've got a whisk, and we know how to use it!

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

An Emerald Isle Dessert



                                                                               
(I have a beautiful picture from the Dingle Peninsula, but I can't get the  ______idjit computer to download it.)
                                                     

Now that we've been to Ireland...........Here is a recipe of a wonderful dessert.

On two occasions I had this marvelously sweet, flavorful dessert--once at the fish and chips place and again at the Smokehouse which really wasn't a smokehouse. Both were in Dingle in County Kerry.
It's called Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake.  Added my own touches. Don't be alarmed at the amount of soda. I thought it would ruin the cake. It did not!

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup pitted dates
1 1/4 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon soda
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla

Toffee Sauce:

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/c packed light brown sugar
1 cup English walnut pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
Butter a 10-inch round or square baking pan. (I used my mother's pan that she used to make Raisin Roll. See a previous blog.)
Sift flour and baking powder onto a sheet of waxed paper. Chop the dates fine. Place in a small bowl, add the boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a bowl of electric mixer  beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until blended. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Add the date mixture to the batter and fold until blended. Pour in the prepared baking dish.  Bake until pudding cake is set and firm on top, about 35 minutes.

Toffee Sauce: Combine the butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil gently over medium low until mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes.  Preheat broiler. Spoon about 1/3 cup over the pudding cake. spread evenly over the top. Place pudding under the broiler until the top is bubbly, about 1 minute. Spoon into dessert bowls. Drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with toasted pecans. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

It's GRAND.