#181 Sticky prune pudding with two kinds of toffee sauce
I actually don’t believe it: I have THE cold. The one I thought I’d heroically fought off last week. In a shocking turn of events, it conquered.
I should be grateful really, this is my first of Autumn/Winter 25/26’, I’ve done well to dodge the bullets thus far, but I’m still unimpressed. It started on Sunday evening with the throat, the one that makes you question whether you accidentally swallowed some sulphuric acid. Then the clogged nose, face ache, dry eyes, and the sting in the tail… the tickly cough.
So yes, I’ve been felled. And in true Steph fashion, I’ve tried to remain entirely operational whilst felled: ‘nothing to see here’, la la la, ‘I’m fine’, cough cough, sneeze (don’t sneeze mid porridge pals, it’s messy business). I’ve spent the week ‘swanning’, approximately serene on the surface, maniacally paddling underneath. Wouldn’t recommend!! I should’ve been sofa-ing and blanketing, daytime tv, toast* and tea - sick days were the best days as a kid, weren’t they? - but no, I’ve been ploughing.
*Whilst we’re here (on toast), I saw my pal John Whaite knocking up a toast sensation the other day: a slice of sourdough drenched in olive oil, and spread with a mix of strawberry jam and a few drops of balsamic vinegar… arguably the most refined slice of ‘feel better jam on toast’ ever spawned. Must try.
Anyway, I’m feeling 10% better today. Which is progress and I’ve discovered a new magnificent tea, Tea Pigs ginger and manuka honey flavour, really tastes like it’s making you better, you know? So that’s nice.
The weather isn’t though, and I do hate to grumble, but February hasn’t really crowned itself in glory yet, has it? It’s giving January + 8 right now. And I believe the only way to get through this is with warm, comforting things. Blankets, hot water bottles, baths, intravenous hot drinks, vats of pesto-y pasta, toast and jam (or marmalade), hot puddings with sauce (ones that hug from the inside out)… do please add to this warm comfort list with your current ‘musts’ in the comments below, I’m sure we could all do with more ideas.
Fortuitously, this week’s recipe delivers warmth and comfort in spades!! You may recall from last week that I had planned to share my recent Karpatka discoveries with you. However, following a series of sloppy custard issues at the beginning of the week, I decided I would (reluctantly) have to pivot (don’t worry, I won’t be beaten by this beauty, but I also will not inflict you all with a duff recipe!!) and actually, bearing in mind the rotten weather, this alternative is possibly a better choice for the week. Plus… you should defo consider it for your Valentine’s Day dessert if you’re planning to celebrate, (N.B., you can celebrate the day alone, self-love and all that!!)
Anyway, GEEZE, get to the point Steph, the pud in question is a light, moist prune sponge, served with a lake of sticky sauce (either dark toffee, or chocolate ‘toffee’- you make the rules) and a dash of something creamy. It’s a spin on the OG: sticky toffee pudding, but, errrmmm, dare I say, better? I know, that’s a big statement, but this is serious filth, I mean, it literally winks at you on the plate… Gulp.
The prune sponge is both light AND comfortingly soft, it’s gently spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and deeply rich and treacly without beyond cloying. As I mentioned above, I’ve included two sauce options, the first a more traditional toffee sauce because it’s hard to beat and, as an alternative, a chocolatey toffee situation- I could drink this stuff neat!!! Keep scrolling for the feel-better goodness!
Of course there have been other kitchen delights this week too: airy wholemeal Scandi style rolls (best smeared with Guernsey butter, creamy Brie, and jammy eggs), also FLOOFY Shokupan, inspired by some deep chats with fellow baking pal Hope re. this miracle loaf. On Thursday, a chocolate traybake cake - a few slices with leftover choccy toffee sauce and the rest smeared with thick, glossy, malt ganache - just because it felt necessary, y’know? And dinners have been good too, pasta bake, wholesome curry and my affectionately termed, ‘dog meat pie’… (a cottage pie of sorts but defo could be mistaken for dog food). Considering the Karpatka calamities and the lurgy, it’s not been at all bad really!
AND some MORE GOOD BITS:
Carlos Alcaraz’s heroic feat in the Australian open on Sunday - did you watch? I love him. I love his flamboyance and genius play, I love his demeanour and fairness on the court, and I love his joy for the sport. It’s infectious and I believe we can all take a leaf out of his book: to ‘choose happiness over success because happiness is success’. Bravo!!!
OK, now for a funny, but not necessarily great ‘good’ bit. I found a chicken breast in my coat pocket at least 4 hours after purchasing it. It was horrifying on many levels, horrifying when I put my hand in the pocket and expected only emptiness, horrifying to think some juices may have leaked from the chicken bag and polluted the pocket, and a horrifying internal debate over whether it was still edible, (newsflash, it was… or at least, I’m still here to tell the tale 5 days post consumption).
Today (as you read this), there are 41 days until Spring and 52 days until we do the clocks. These are big, HUGE, stats… and glimmers of hope to cling on to… it’s like the countdown to Xmas, but better.
My go-to fruit atm is forced Yorkshire rhubarb… I know it’s expensive but a) a little goes a long way and b) it’s a wonderful treat whilst it’s in season! It’s best briefly roasted with a little sugar, blood orange juice, and stem ginger, I think… I also love it cooked down into a compote, again with a scant amount of sugar and blood orange juice… a little cornflour added at the end can help thicken things up and then, once cooled, you should spoon it onto everything.
… and bear in mind the other key fruit and veg players in Feb… Emma Cantlay has all the intel on this (HERE)… and she makes it look beautiful and fun with her gorgeous illustrations!
Already thoroughly confused by various Winter Olympic sports but I’m LOVING it being on, of course!!
Bra off, make up off, pjs on… a top 5 moment of the day, yes?
Who knew pigeons could look so magnificent??… This guy is an ICON!
OK, that’s all for this week folks, I know, a little shorter than normal… please forgive me, let’s blame the snot situation.
Sending Oodles of love as always,
Steph X X X
Sticky prune pudding with two kinds of Toffee sauce
Ok, I’ve really covered most of what needs saying about this joy nugget above but just to recap.
Yes, it’s a take on sticky toffee pudding… and you may be wondering why you need ANOTHER recipe to try… but this is a goodie, really it is!
Instead of the traditional date puree used in the sponge, I’ve opted for prunes - I actually think they yield a lighter, softer sponge with more depth of flavour. I also use a significant amount of dark Muscovado sugar and black treacle for a deep, rich toffee flavour and some cinnamon and nutmeg for a touch of extra warmth. To be honest, I’d happily eat this sponge as it comes, like malt loaf or a date loaf cake… it’s just delicious. It also improves with age… so much so that I urge you to give it some ageing. Bake the sponges, let them cool and then wrap them up tightly with clingfilm and reheat over the next few days - everything about them improves; the flavour develops, they get softer, moister - not sure how that’s possible, but it is.
I know I’ve said the sponge is good as is, but OBVIOUSLY everything is better showered with a sticky sauce… and this is no exception. Toffee sauce is the tradition… and I love my version, it’s rich with butter and cream, there’s more dark muscovado for toffee vibes, and a little treacle (you can use molasses if you can’t get treacle) adds a touch of smoky bittersweetness - YES YES YES!
… but straight toffee is not the only option here, I have also shared a choccy toffee (like chocolate fudge) sauce as a little something different. Chocolate and prunes are besties and thus, a not too dark, toffee forward sauce spiked with chocolate is a superb alternative if you fancy trying something different. And if you don’t… because you hate people messing with perfection, I get it… but please make this sauce anyway and just drink it, or pour it over a chocolate cake instead, you will thank me!
Right… get the oven on… LET’s GO!
p.s. I have waffled loads in this recipe, I like to give you ALL the info!! I hope it all makes sense.
