Individual Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes For Two Or Four

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (3 3/4 ounces, plus more for dusting the ramekins)
• 2/3 cup dates, pitted, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark, packed, 2 3/4 ounces)
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1/4 stick)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark, packed, 3 1/2 ounces)
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rum
• creme anglaise or vanilla ice cream

Recipe

• 1 for the pudding cakes:
• 2 adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
• 3 grease and flour four 4-ounce ramekins and line bottom of each with round of parchment paper cut to fit.
• 4 set prepared ramekins in deep-side baking or roasting pan lined with clean dish towel.
• 5 bring kettle or large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.
• 6 combine half of dates with water and baking soda in glass measuring cup (dates should be submerged beneath water) and soak for 5 minutes.
• 7 drain dates, reserving liquid, and transfer to medium bowl.
• 8 whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in another medium bowl.
• 9 process remaining dates and brown sugar in food processor until just blended, about five 1-second pulses.
• 10 add reserved soaking liquid, eggs, and vanilla and process until smooth, about 5 seconds.
• 11 with food processor running, pour melted butter through feed tube in steady stream.
• 12 transfer this mixture to bowl with softened dates.
• 13 gently stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined and date pieces are evenly dispersed.
• 14 distribute batter evenly among prepared ramekins.
• 15 fill roasting pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of ramekins, making sure not to splash water into ramekins.
• 16 cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, crimping edges to seal.
• 17 bake pudding cakes until puffed and small holes appear on surface, about 40 minutes.