Sticky Toffee Pudding

The first time I had Sticky Toffee Pudding was in Inverness.  I was with my sister and my mom and we thought we'd be all girly and share a dessert.  We got the pudding and wolfed it down in a very unbecoming matter (think licking the plate) and ordered another one.

I've tried several recipes, and this one is my favorite.  It's based on one I got from a magazine cutting, credited to The Old Rectory, Claughton, Lancashire.  Chef:  Mrs. Martin.  The measurements are all in weights and I haven't converted them to imperial (uh, is that what we call it when we use cups?)  So, here it is:

Ingredients

Cake
2 ounces (55 g) softened butter (I use unsalted)
6 ounces (170 g) granulated sugar
1/2 pound flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
6 ounces (170 g) dates, stones removed
1/2 pint boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Toffee Topping
2 1/2 ounces (70 g) brown sugar
1 1/2 ounces (40 g) butter
2 Tablespoons double cream

Heat the oven to 180 degrees C.  Remove the stones from the dates.  Flour them lightly (I think this is to help them not be so sticky) and chop them finely.  Put them in a bowl and add the boiling water.  Then add the soda and the vanilla.  Let the dates sit for about five minutes.

In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and then add the flour and baking powder.  Continue beating for about a minutes.  Then add pour in the dates mixture.  Blend well.

Turn the batter into a greased cake tin (the recipe calls for 11 inches x 7 inches, but I use a 9x13 glass dish)  Bake for about 40 minutes, until a fork poked in the middle comes out clean.

When the cake is still warm, make the toffee mixture.  Heat the brown sugar, butter and cream in a saucepan and simmer for about three minutes.  The original recipe says to pour the toffee over the cake and place under a hot grill until it bubbles.  But I don't have the patience and spoon the toffee over the cake and eat.