SAUCY BRITISH DELIGHT
For dessert tonight, try this sticky treat from across the pond that’s easy to make at home
There’s so much we can chalk up to the naiveties of youth — things that, in retrospect, make you go, “What was I thinking?”
For me, a lot of those realizations involve food. As someone who grew up picky and slowly expanded my palate and experience into Professional Food Writer, hindsight can be particularly depressing.
Take sticky toffee pudding. Barely out of college and just learning how to cook, I was inspired to try a sticky toffee pudding ice cream from Häagen-dazs.
Just as the brand wanted, my then-boyfriend and I fell hook, line and sinker when we were overcome by curiosity after seeing a special about a flavour contest on Food Network.
So we bought it, tried it and, well, the pint did not do much for us, even though I’m typically a devoted fan of the premium brand.
“OK, so maybe I’m just not in to sticky toffee pudding,” I thought, foolishly discounting one of the most beloved desserts of Great Britain.
The fact that it’s a supremely soft, date-filled and toffee-soaked cake did not register.
Flash forward about seven years, when my now-husband and I were sitting in a cosy pub in Wimbledon on our first trip to England.
Naturally, out came sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Naturally, it blew my mind. So much time wasted!
We’ve hardly passed up an opportunity to eat sticky toffee pudding since then. And thanks to this recipe, I — and, fingers crossed, you — will hardly pass up an opportunity to make it again.
This particular version comes from one of my favourite restaurants, the Indian powerhouse Rasika in Washington. I’ve enjoyed it in the restaurant, although I liked it even more at home.
The dessert is satisfyingly soft and saucy with a not-too-cloying sweetness. The recipe makes a dozen individual portions using a muffin tin, meaning each person gets identical, attractive puddings.
If you prefer to make one giant pudding, see the variation, with a technique based on a recipe in Sweet!: From Agave to Turbinado, Home Baking with Every Kind of Natural Sugar and Sweetener by Mani Niall (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2008), as shared by David Lebovitz on his blog.
The larger pudding is particularly tender and fluffy, and makes for a really eye-catching presentation. If you like contrasts, you’ll swoon over the sauce-saturated bottom and crunchy top.
Needless to say, growing up has its benefits. I learned I loved sticky toffee pudding. But with this recipe in hand, you don’t need to be late to the party.