Kathy’s Sticky Toffee Pudding

When preparing this dish remember to make sure you are happy. I am a firm believer that your goodwill is passed on through your cooking. If it is before 5 o’clock, feel free to pour yourself a little glass of champagne or a tonic of some sort. If you are preparing this wonderful dessert after the 5 o’clock hour, please help yourself to a glass of wine or maybe even a martini.

Finely chop 8 oz. of dates. Make sure the dates are pitted so the chopping will be easy. Bring 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of Kahlua to a slight boil then add to the dates and let sit to cool.

In a mixing bowl add one stick of room temperature butter and 1 cup packed brown sugar. Beat until creamy. Add 4 room temperature eggs one at a time to mixture. Incorporate 1-3/4 cups self-rising flour, 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 Tbs. instant coffee crystals into mixture — do not over mix.

Put chopped dates put into food processor and puree the heck out of them. While you are doing this make sure not to stick your fingers into the processor — it could be very painful, and you may have to start again once you have returned from the hospital. Add date to flour mixture and mix until smooth.

Pour into a 9-inch round or square baking dish and bake at 350° for approximately 45 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and spongy. Let sit to cool off.

After preparing the cake and enjoying a short nap, now you’re ready to prepare the toffee sauce.

In a sauce pan mix:
¾ cup butter
1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. vanilla

Heat until nice and warm — the sauce should start to thicken. Add some scotch to the mixture. The amount will depend on how much fun you wish to have. Do not use your finest 15-year barrel-aged scotch — this will ruin the sauce with the taste of peat. In other words, pour the good stuff into a glass with 3 cubes of ice, and dump the cheap stuff into the sauce.

Enjoy with friends!

-Kathy