Chef Chris’s latest dish
This dish is by far one of our best- selling desserts at both restaurants and to make ours stand out from the rest, it’s gluten free!
My team and I have altered our classic recipe to perfection to meets the dietary requirements of our customers. In most cases, when altering recipes to gluten free, people tend to find that you lose taste and quality but not with this recipe. Its wonderful texture and taste leaves all the customers raving about it and wanting more.
Preparation time is less than 2hours 30mins. Cooking time is 25- 30 mins Serves six dessert size portions Ingredients For the sponge: 9oz soft dark brown sugar; two tbs bicarb; two tbs coffee granules or Camp Coffee; seven large free range eggs; 12oz gluten free self raising flour; 400g chopped pitted dates; 6oz of salted butter; one heaped teaspoon of xanthan gum; 30g stem ginger purée; three table spoons treacle.
For butterscotch sauce: 8oz of dark brown sugar; 4oz salted butter; 8oz golden syrup; half a vanilla pod; 300ml of double cream.
For the tuille biscuit: 110g salted butter; 150g icing sugar; three large free range eggs, whites only; 110g gluten free plain flour; half a vanilla pod; disposable piping bag.
For the chantilly cream: 300ml double cream; 2oz caster sugar; half vanilla pod.
Pre- heat oven to 200c/ 400f/ gas 6
For the sponge: Place the chopped dates into a bowl, add the 2 tbsp of bicarb and coffee and fill till the dates just covered with boiling water. Leave to soak for one hour. Cream the brown sugar and butter together in a large bowl, add the 7 eggs and beat then gradually add the gluten free flour till mixture well mixed, add the soaked dates and all the liquid, it should be a thick, but pourable consistency. Finally add the ginger, treacle and xanthan gum and place into a medium size nonstick deep oven tray. ( Line the tray with greaseproof paper first) bake for 25- 30 mins or until golden brown. Pierce a knife into middle of sponge and if knife comes out clean its ready
For the butterscotch sauce: Place golden syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla pod in a medium size pan and bring to boil, simmer till all the sugar granules have dissolved. Take off heat and cool for ten minutes. Then add the double cream, whisk gently and it’s ready to serve. `
For the tuille biscuits: Cream the sugar and butter in mixing bowl, then gradually had the egg whites with a wooden spoon or spatula. Once the mixture has bound together, fold in the flour and then place in a piping bag and chill. Place a silicone/ greaseproof mat on to a tray and take the piping bag and snip a small hole at tip of bag. Pipe 15cm lengths of mixture on mat and repeat this leaving two inch gap between lines, place in oven for 7- 8 minutes till golden brown bring out and whilst mixture is still hot wrap them round the handle of a wooden spoon to create a spiral, hold and mixture will harden within 30 seconds.
For the chantilly cream: Place cream, sugar and vanilla pod in bowl and whisk till whipped.
To serve: Cut the sponge into 8cm squares and keep whole or slice, fan sponge on plate and pour the butterscotch sauce over sponge enough to suit your personal preference. One large quenelle of whipped chantilly cream and then garnish with fruits, berries, mint and tuille biscuit. Serve to your guests.