Sticky Toffee Pudding

My boss recently took our department out for lunch at a nearby restaurant where i ordered the Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. I have never tried it before and anything with toffee in it has to be good right?? Well i wasn't wrong...it was heaven. I had to make this. I did some research online and have compiled what i think is an easy delicious recipe! 

Ingredients:

2.5 cups heavy whipping cream

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

2 tbsp of Molasses

8-10 Medjool dates, pits removed and chopped in half

1 cup water

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 cups Pastry Flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup softened unsalted butter

2 eggs at room temperature

3/4 cup of granulated sugar

1 tsp pure Vanilla extract

(Optional Vanilla Bean Ice Cream to serve) 

In a small saucepan take your sliced pitted dates, water and baking soda and bring to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat and set aside.

Next you want to make your toffee. I used a heavy bottomed cast iron pot and combined the whipping cream, brown sugar and molasses over medium heat. Bring to a boil, constantly stirring, then reduce heat and allow to simmer until thickened. You want to always stir the toffee so the cream and sugars do not burn on the bottom. 

 Pour half your prepared toffee into your buttered baking dish. Place this in the freezer to cool while you make the pudding batter. Reserve the rest of the toffee for serving.

Combine your flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside

In your mixer combined the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add your eggs and vanilla. 

Remember those dates your boiled? Run them through a food processor with the water you boiled them in. In the butter, sugar egg mixture start adding your flour mixture and dates mixture...alternating until combined. Do not overmix!! Pour the batter into the baking dish that has been cooling in the freezer over the toffee and bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the pudding to cool. Serve warm with more warmed toffee and a serving of Vanilla bean ice cream!!! A perfect holiday dessert!