Home Chef - Series 5 – Episode 3

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING AND SALTED WHISKEY BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

In the restaurant we sometimes serve individual sticky toffee puddings for lunch. It’s derived from a recipe my mum often made for Sunday lunch and is still a firm favourite with our family. I just love the combination of hot pudding and sauce against the cold ice cream. Sticky toffee pudding is a classic. When i made it on TV for home chef, I really noticed how many people in the restaurant asked for it. It’s traditionally thought of as a heavy dessert, but this is a light version. I like to use medjool dates. They’re more expensive but worth it for this dessert. I love their sticky caramel texture and taste.

Serves 8

 200g (7oz) butter, at room  1 tsp vanilla extract temperature  salted whiskey butterscotch sauce  175g (6oz) self-raising flour, plus (page 262), to serve extra for dusting  caramel foam (page 246), to serve  175g (6oz) Medjool dates, stoned and roughly chopped  vanilla ice cream (page 265), to serve  1 tbsp dark rum  toasted chopped pecan nuts, to  1 tsp bread soda serve

 175g (6oz) light brown sugar  melted plain chocolate, to decorate

 1/2 vanilla pod, split in half and  fresh raspberries, to decorate seeds scraped out  fresh mint sprigs, to decorate  2 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).

Melt 50g (2oz) of the butter in a small pan or in the microwave and use to brush the insides of 8 x 200ml (7fl oz) small pudding bowls, then lightly dust with a little flour, shaking out any excess. Set aside until needed.

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Place the dates in a pan with 300ml (1/2 pint) water and the rum. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until the dates are soft. Add the bread soda to the date mixture, which will cause it to foam up, then set aside to cool a little. Place the date mixture in a food processor and blend for 2 minutes. Pour into a bowl.

Meanwhile, cream the sugar, the remaining 150g (5oz) of the butter and the vanilla seeds together in a bowl for about 10 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon of the flour to the butter and sugar mixture, then slowly add the eggs and beat well to combine. Add the blended date mixture with the remaining flour and the vanilla extract and combine everything gently to give a smooth dropping consistency.

Pour the pudding batter into the prepared bowls and arrange on a baking sheet, then bake for 35–40 minutes, until slightly risen and firm to the touch.

To serve, leave the puddings to settle for a minute or two before turning out onto warmed plates. Spoon over the salted whiskey butterscotch sauce and finish with the caramel foam. Add a scoop of ice cream to each one with a little of the chopped pecans underneath to prevent the ice cream from slipping around the plate. Decorate with the melted chocolate, raspberries and mint sprigs.

COOK AHEAD

The puddings can be made up to 2 days in advance once they have been cooked and kept covered in the fridge until needed. To serve, just warm them through in the oven for about 10 minutes. This sauce will keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

 Makes about 120ml (4fl oz)  100ml (3 1/2fl oz) cream

 100g (4oz) caster sugar  1 vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out  25g (1oz) butter, diced  2 tbsp dark rum

Bring the sugar and 200ml (7fl oz) water to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until reduced by a quarter and syrupy.

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Add the butter, cream, vanilla seeds and rum to the caramel, stirring until combined, then simmer gently for another 5 minutes, until thickened. Leave to cool for 10–15 minutes, until thickened a little further.

This is ready to serve warm or transfer to a bowl and leave to cool completely, then cover with clingfilm and keep in the fridge until needed. This can also be put in a squeezy bottle. Use warm or cold as required.

VARIATION

Salted Butterscotch Sauce

Add 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes with the vanilla seeds and cook as described above.

COOK AHEAD

This will keep happily for up to 1 week covered with clingfilm in the fridge.

BASIC FOAM

Makes about 300ml (1/2 pint)

 flavouring (see variations below for  1 tsp soya lecithin granules quantities)  sea salt and freshly ground white  300ml (1/2 pint) milk pepper

CARAMEL

Add 100ml (4fl oz) caramel sauce (page 262) to the pan before blitzing with the hand blender.

Place the flavouring variation in a pan with the milk and cook gently for 10–15 minutes, until the garlic has softened and is completely tender (if making the garlic variation). Blitz with a hand blender and pass through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Keep warm.

Add the soya lecithin granules to the pan, whisking until smooth. Season to taste and bring to the boil, then blitz with a hand blender to create a foam by bringing the head of the blender from the very bottom of the pan to the top of the liquid. Use immediately.

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CARAMEL SAUCE

Makes about 450ml (3/4 pint)

 275g (10oz) caster sugar  75g (3oz) butter  250ml (9fl oz) cream  1/2 vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out

Place the sugar and 150ml (1/4 pint) water in a pan. Bring to the boil and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the butter, cream and vanilla seeds and mix well over a low heat until it’s a thick consistency. Serve hot or transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool. Cover with clingfilm and chill until needed. Use warm or cold as required.

VARIATIONS

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Add 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes with the vanilla seeds and cook as described above.

CARAMEL WHISKEY SAUCE

Add 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey to the sauce after the vanilla seeds and cook as described above.

COOK AHEAD

This sauce will keep in the fridge covered with clingfilm for 2 weeks.

VANILLA ICE CREAM

Serves 6–8

 5 egg yolks  300ml (1/2 pint) milk  125g (4 1/2oz) caster sugar  100ml (3 1/2fl oz) cream  1/2 vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out

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Place the egg yolks in a large bowl with the sugar and vanilla seeds. Whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes, until pale and thickened.

Place the milk and cream in a medium pan and bring to the boil, then immediately remove from the heat.

Gradually whisk the heated milk and cream into the egg yolk mixture until smooth, then pour back into the pan and place over a gentle heat. Cook gently for 6–8 minutes on a medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Plunge the base of the pan into a sink of cold water and beat occasionally until cold. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You should end up with about 400ml (14fl oz) of ice cream. Use as required.

For other recipes from the Home Chef Series please go to

Home Chef Series 5 Website

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