Trevor Donegan, executive head chef at the Athlone Springs Hotel, shares a recipe exclusively prepared for Advertiser readers. Please email head chef, Trevor Donegan directly on [email protected] with comments or questions.
Sticky toffee pudding with rum and butterscotch sauce
Ingredients
Sticky toffee pudding:
250g dates
200ml boiling water
1tsp bread soda
90g butter
180g castor sugar
2 eggs
180g self raising flour
1/4 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
40ml buttermilk
Rum and butterscotch sauce:
320ml cream
80g butter
125g castor sugar
20ml dark rum
Method
For the sticky toffee pudding:
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and flour eight pudding moulds. Soak the dates in the boiling water.
Cream the butter and sugar together until white and fluffy (use softened butter ). Gradually add the eggs. Sieve together the flour and spices, and fold into the mixture.
Add the bread soda to the dates and purée with the hand blender. Fold into the batter with the buttermilk.
Fill the moulds three quarters of the way and bake in the oven for 20-23 minutes until well risen and golden brown.
For the rum and butterscotch sauce:
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan melt the sugar over a low heat; this is slow to begin with but after approximately five minutes it will speed up. Gently shake the pot every 20 seconds or so, and remove from the heat about every minute to ensure even cooking.
In another pot bring the cream to the boil. When the sugar has taken on a good golden brown colour slowly add the cream, being careful of splashes. Once this is incorporated into the sugar, add the butter and rum. Bring to the boil and simmer for five minutes over a low heat.
To download Trevor’s delicious recipes please go to the Athlone Springs Facebook page.