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My medjool date sticky toffee pudding is a great example of this. It combines sweet medjool dates with whole wheat and buckwheat flours. Using the dates allowed me to cut back on the sugar and still retain the cake’s sweet decadence. I added a touch of cocoa powder to play into that richness while counterbalancing with the cocoa powder’s bitter qualities. Finally, I topped it off with a little banana caramel sauce. You might think that’s bananas, but who doesn’t love a date on Valentine’s Day?

Medjool Date Sticky Toffee Pudding

Servings: Makes about 8-10 servings.

Ingredients:

• 170 grams medjool dates, pitted
• 6 grams vanilla extract
• 10 grams baking soda
• 392 grams water
• 85 grams butter
• 227 grams dark brown sugar
• 75 grams eggs
• 122 grams all-purpose flour
• 85 grams whole-wheat flour
• 14 grams buckwheat flour
• 56 grams cocoa powder
• 6.3 grams baking powder
• 1.5 grams salt

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 350° F.
2. Place the dates, vanilla extract and baking soda in a medium-size bowl and set aside.
3. Bring the water to a boil, then pour over the dates and cover with plastic wrap to soften them. This should take about five minutes.
4. Once the dates have softened, puree them into a smooth paste utilizing a blender. Set this loose date paste aside.
5. In a bowl fitted for an electric mixer, cream the butter and dark brown sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.
6. Turn machine down to low speed and gradually add the eggs.
7. Alternately add your dry ingredients and the loose date paste, beginning and ending with your dry ingredients until all of the dry ingredients and the date paste have been incorporated.
8. Portion batter into individual molds and bake at 350° F until set. They will feel lightly firm with a soft spring to them.
9. Allow them to cool to room temperature before unmolding.
10. Serve with Banana Caramel (recipe below) or store until ready to serve. These cakes will last up to one day stored in an airtight container.

Banana Caramel Sauce    

This is a great sauce for the Date Sticky Toffee Pudding and for just about anything else you’d serve with a traditional caramel sauce.              

Ingredients:

• 75 grams granulated sugar
• 375 grams banana (about 3), very ripe, chopped into small pieces
• 125 grams whole milk
• 125 grams heavy cream
• 3 grams vanilla extract
• 1.5 grams salt

Preparation:

1. In a small pot heat the whole milk and heavy cream. Set aside.
2. In a second small pot, begin caramelizing the granulated sugar utilizing the dry sugar method.
3. Once all of the sugar has been added to the pot, allow it to turn a deep amber color, right before it begins to smoke.
4. Add the chopped banana to the caramelized sugar and gently stir, allowing the bananas to cook in the hot caramel for one minute.
5. Deglaze the pot with the warm milk/heavy cream and simmer the caramel sauce for five minutes.
6. Place the banana caramel into a blender and begin to process, making sure the blender is on its lowest setting first.
7. Gradually increase the speed until the blender is on its highest setting. Blend for 30 seconds more.
8. Strain the banana caramel through a chinois and immediately chill over an ice bath until it is cold.
9. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Sweet tooth piqued? Click here to learn more about 91ÃÛÌÒ߹’s Pastry & Baking Arts program.