Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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96 "I chose sticky toffee pudding because it's so cozy and rich and something I associate with the holidays and wintertime," says pastry chef, Lauren Morgan, who grew up in Wenham and owns Honeycomb bakery and café in Hamilton. "It's not a pudding like we would think, but a cake sweetened with dates and molasses, which is a very New England ingredient." After soaking dates in boiling water to plump and soften them, Morgan folds them into a cake batter, which she cooks in a Bundt pan until lofty and golden. With a wooden pick, she then pricks the top of the hot cake and drenches it (SERVES 10-12) Morgan bakes this caramelly dessert in a 9-inch Bundt pan to give it a dressy appearance. You can serve it plain or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. If you can, use Medjool dates, which are larger and softer than the firm, shiny, small supermarket dates. I N G R E D I E N T S F O R T H E C A K E 2 1/4 cups boiling water 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 cup pitted, chopped dates (Medjool dates, if possible) 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 cup white granulated sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1. Combine the boiling water and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the dates, stir, and set aside until the mixture has cooled, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl with electric beaters), cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, scraping the bottom of the bowl well. Blend in the dates and their soaking liquid. 3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add half of this mixture to the date mixture and blend. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until combined. 4. Coat a 9-inch Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the batter and bake the cake about 30 minutes, or until it springs back when lightly touched. While the cake is baking, prepare the toffee sauce I N G R E D I E N T S F O R T H E T O F F E E S A U C E 3 cups heavy cream 3/4 cup Sugar in the Raw (Turbinado raw cane sugar) 1/2 cup molasses 1/4 tsp. salt 1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let the toffee sauce bubble until thickened, about 10 minutes. 2. Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, prick the entire top of the warm cake and then then cover with half of the toffee sauce and let it soak in. Once the cake has cooled completely, invert it onto a cake platter and top with the remaining toffee sauce. HONEYCOMB 248 Bay Rd., South Hamilton, honeycombhamilton.com Lauren Morgan of Honeycomb in Hamilton with warm toffee sauce made from molasses and cream bubbled together. When the cake can't absorb anymore sauce, she turns it out onto a decorative platter and glazes the top with the remaining toffee sauce. "It's a sweet, moist, rich cake," says Mor- gan, "and the dates and molasses are the two flavors that really come through. Beyond pie, it just might be one of my favorite things to eat—morning, noon, and night." At her bakery, sticky toffee pudding is in regular rotation dur- ing the winter months, available by the slice as a, "yummy, gooey snack."