Toffee Pudding Cidecar Recipes

Steps:

• Combine dates and tea in a bowl and soak for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
• Cream 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Sift in flour and baking powder and fold into the mixture.
• Add baking soda, vanilla, and espresso granules to the date-tea mixture. Add mixture to the batter and stir to produce a loose, soft, dropping consistency. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When pudding is almost finished baking, combine 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon golden syrup, and butter for the sauce in a heavy saucepan over low heat until melted. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Gradually stir in cream and vanilla. Return to the heat and stir until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove pudding from the oven. Spoon a little sauce onto each serving plate. Place a portion of pudding on top, then pour over more sauce. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Steps:

• Put the dates in a bowl and cover with the 1 cup boiling water to soften, at least 5 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 and grease a deep 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Combine the 3 tablespoons butter, baking soda, a pinch of salt, Demerara sugar, 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla extract in a food processor and pulse until just combined. Add the dates and 1/2 cup of the water to the mixture; pulse until nearly smooth (specks of dates should remain visible).
• Pour the mixture into the baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes, until just firm to the touch. (When the pudding has finished baking, remove from the oven and heat the broiler. Put the rack about 4 inches from the heat source.)
• Meanwhile, make the topping. Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, then slowly add 1 cup cream and 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt, whisking continuously until the mixture bubbles gently and comes together to form a smooth mixture; turn off heat.
• In another small saucepan over medium heat, make the extra sauce. Melt 3 tablespoons butter, then slowly add 1 ¼ cups cream and 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Repeat the process above.
• Pour the topping (careful not to use the extra sauce) over the cooked pudding and place the whole thing in the broiler until it bubbles and looks sticky, 1 or 2 minutes (watch it closely). To serve, spoon into bowls and cover with the extra sauce. If you like, add a dollop of whipped cream.

Steps:

• Stone and chop 225g medjool dates quite small, put them in a bowl, then pour over 175ml boiling water.
• Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
• Butter and flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• While the dates are soaking, make the puddings. Mix 175g self-raising flour and 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda together and beat the 2 eggs in a separate bowl.
• Beat 85g softened butter and 140g demerara sugar together in a large bowl for a few mins until slightly creamy (the mixture will be grainy from the sugar). Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions.
• Beat in 2 tbsp black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the flour and bicarbonate of soda mix, then half of the 100ml milk, being careful not to overbeat. Repeat until all the flour mix and all the milk is used.
• Stir the soaked dates into the pudding batter. The mix may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick batter.
• Spoon it evenly between the tins and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.
• Meanwhile, put the 175g light muscovado sugar and 50g butter pieces for the sauce in a medium saucepan with half the 225ml double cream.
• Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Stir in 1 tbsp black treacle, turn up the heat slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a rich toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the rest of the double cream.
• Remove the puddings from the oven. Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out.
• You can serve them now with the sauce drizzled over, but they'll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the sauce. To do this, pour about half the sauce into one or two ovenproof serving dishes.
• Sit the upturned puddings on the sauce, then pour the rest of the sauce over them. Cover with a loose tent of foil so that the sauce doesn't smudge (no need to chill).
• When ready to serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Warm the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the sauce is bubbling. Serve them on their own, or with cream or custard.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 355 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
• Combine hot black tea and raisins in a bowl; let stand for 5 minutes.
• Drain raisins and transfer to a food processor. Add milk and blend to combine.
• Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl. Whisk in eggs. Add flour, vanilla, and cinnamon; mix to combine. Stir in blended raisins and baking soda, then pour into the prepared dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
• While the pudding is cooking, combine brown sugar, margarine, and golden syrup for topping in a nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until the sauce brims over with foamy bubbles. Turn off the heat, but continue to stir until the bubbles go down.
• Remove the pudding from the oven. Pour the toffee topping over the warm pudding to ensure even spreading. Serve hot.