Lets Eat!!!

Bet you can't guess what I'll be posting about (smile)! The purpose of this blog is to share recipes, and talk about food (tips, tricks...etc). However, I don't want to be the only one talking, I want you to be able to share your recipes, hints, and questions here too. Since this isn't a group blog, if you have a recipe, hint, or question you want to share, please feel free to email it to me and I'll put it up for you.

Ready? Let's get started!

To kick-off the start of this new blog, I want to share one of my favoritist recipes. I was introduced to this dessert two years ago when I saw a Hagan Daas ice-cream competition on TV. The winning ice-cream flavor looked so good that we went out and bought it, tried it, and loved it. About a year later, one of my sisters saw a recipe in Country Home Magazine for the original desert that inspired the ice-cream flavor. The ice-cream was really good, but the dessert was even better! Thus I give you:

Sticky Toffee Pudding (Country Home Magazine)
The Kitchen uses plump Medjool dates, but any dried dates will work. You can cool the cakes, cover, and store them for up to three days (chill sauce separately). Then you can add sauce and heat only as many cakes at a time as you plan to serve.


For Cakes:
12 pitted dried dates, chopped
1 Tbsp. brewed espresso or strong brewed coffee
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. vanilla
¾ cup boiling water
5 Tbsp. butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup self-rising flour

For Sauce:
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
¾ cup whipping cream
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Lightly coat ten 2 ½-inch muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside. Place dates in a blender** with espresso, baking soda, and vanilla. Cover and pulse for a few seconds until slightly blended, then slowly add boiling water, pulsing until nearly smooth. Transfer to a small bowl.

**You can use a food processor—but I thought the blender worked better.

In food processor (or with a hand mixer), process 5 tablespoons butter with granulated sugar for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides occasionally. Add eggs, 1 at a time, processing until combined after each. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and fold in flour, a little at a time, until combined. Fold date mixture into butter-flour mixture. Pour into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake in a 350* oven for 15 minutes or until tops are lightly browned and spring back when touched. Let cool 5 minutes in muffin cups. Remove cakes from muffin cups and arrange in foil-lined pan

To make caramel sauce, melt 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cream (slowly) and pecans.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon sauce over each cake in pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes more or until sauce is bubbly. Remove to serving dishes. Spoon additional warm sauce atop each and serve with ice cream, if desired.

Makes approx. 10 servings.