Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients

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Pudding

• 8 ounces dates, finely chopped 

• 1 cup (8 ounces) boiling water or very hot coffee

• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 2 cups AP flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• zest of an orange
   

Sticky Toffee Sauce

• 2 cups (16 ounces) whipping cream

• 1 cup, packed dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup corn syrup 

• ¼ cup unsalted butter

• optional - 1 tbsp Drambuie liqueur

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F (175º C)
 

For the pudding (Cake) 

1. Butter 8-inch-square pan (preferably not dark.)

2. Mix flour and baking powder and set aside.

3. Place chopped dates in small bowl, then pour 1 cup boiling water over the dates and let cool, about 1 hour.

4. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl to blend. Scrape sides of bowl often.

5. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the bowl. Add half of flour and baking powder and beat to blend. Add remaining 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Continue scraping down sides of bowl, often. Add remaining flour and beat until blended.

6. Combine instant coffee and baking soda in small bowl. Pour into date mixture, stirring to dissolve coffee granules. It will froth slightly. Add date mixture to batter and mix well until evenly combined.

7. Pour batter into prepared pan. I have found that placing about 1 cup of batter, into another small pan works better as the cake doesn't rise as high, which means there is no need to level the top. Place on rimmed baking sheet and bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let the cake cool in the pan. After it has cooled, you can level off the top of the cake if necessary, by cutting off the center part, or carefully removing the cake and using a cake leveler. Then placing the cake back into the pan. Poke holes all over the cake with a skewer or toothpick.
    

For the sauce 

1. Bring cream, brown sugar and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer sauce until reduced to 1¾ cups (12 oz), stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. If adding the Drambuie, add it after taking the sauce off the heat.

3. When cake is cool and caramel sauce is still warm, but not too hot, pour about half of the sauce over the cake. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, without covering. After an hour or so, when the sauce has become firm, cover the dessert with cling film (once cool the plastic won't stick to it.)

4. When serving, cut a piece and heat in microwave until the caramel melts; the dessert should be hot and steaming. Serve with the reserved, warm sticky toffee sauce and freshly whipped cream.
   
   
   
    

Russian Walnut Shaped Cookies – “Oreshki”
They are an iconic Russian treat, especially during holidays, weddings and other special occasions. 

 

Oreshki require a special skillet, called the oreshnitsa, to cook them. You can buy them online but there are electric oreshnitsa skillets too, which are probably easier to use. The crisp, golden exterior of the cookies hold a very creamy, caramely filling. Slavic people love using cooked condensed milk in lots of desserts. You can use the excess cookie crumbs or crushed nuts in the filling, for added flavor and crunch. 
 

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 2 large eggs

• 1½ cups granulated sugar

• 1 cup (or 16 TBSP) butter, melted & slightly cooled

• 3½ Tablespoons mayonnaise

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 teaspoon vinegar

• 4 cups all purpose flour
   

Filling:

• 1½ cans dulce de leche (cooked condensed milk)

• 1 cup butter (or 16 Tablespoons), room temperature

• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, using a standing mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand held mixer, mix the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.

2. Add the melted butter, mayonnaise, sour cream until evenly mixed. Add the baking soda dissolved in vinegar and mix again until combined.

3. Add the flour and mix, starting on low speed and gradually increasing the speed to medium, until all the flour is incorporated.

4. Here's where the oreshki skillet comes to the scene. Shape little balls from the prepared cookie batter, about ¾ of a teaspoon of batter for each walnut shape. It's very helpful to shape a lot of the cookie balls before you start cooking them. If you have a helper, it makes this process much faster and much more enjoyable. Otherwise, turn on a podcast or a show on tv or Youtube. It sure helps to pass the time. When you have a lot, or even all of the cookie balls shaped, (cover them with plastic wrap so they don't dry out), heat the oreshki griddle on medium heat until hot.

5. Quickly place a cookie ball into each of the cookie wells, close the lid and tightly hold the two ends, squeezing them as tight as you can. Cook each side until golden on both sides, flipping the griddle over halfway through. The time really depends on the type of griddle you are using and on your stove. I cooked mine for only 1 - 1½ minutes per side, but you might need to cook them longer, up to 3 minutes per side.

6. The cookie batter will spread when you're squeezing the two sides together and that's a good thing, since it makes sure that the entire walnut shape is completely covered and you will also use all the leftover cookie scraps in the filling.

7. Use a small and sharp paring knife to cut each of the walnut shaped cookies out, setting aside all the scraps. Crush all the cookie scraps into small crumbs, using a ziplock bag and a rolling pin, or a food processor. Cook all of the cookies, cutting them out into walnut shapes.

8. For the filling, in a large bowl, using a standing mixer or a hand held mixer, combine the dulce de leche, butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract until evenly combined. Add the cookie crumbs to the filling and mix again to combine. Instead of the crumbs, you can use crushed nuts, but I prefer the taste and texture of the cookie crumbs.

9. Fill the inside of two walnut shaped cookies with the filling and place two of the cookies, filling side down, toward each other, gently squeezing, and scrape off the excess filling with a small paring knife.

10. Continue to fill the cookies, gently squeezing the two halves of the cookies together. You should have a total of about 115 oreshki. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. You can serve them immediately, but they will stay fresh for at least 1 week.
    Be creative and do whatever combination flavor you think would taste amazing!