A very nice recipe

Hello random public,....if you don't mind me calling you that?

I had an horrendous journey home this eve, and while whiling away the time on my laptip, I thought about the missed opportunity that I may have had yesterday to stuff myself with Sticky Toffee pudding......what stopped me you ask? Well just the price!! It takes hardly anything to make a few portions for less than £2, yet a very ordinary pub was selling a very ordinary portion for £ 4.50.
So I thought perhaps my Bloggettes, might like to have a sneak preview of the recipe that we had when Alan Bird Head Chef at The Ivy, came to cook with our students. Pop along to Taste to view the photos.
anyway faithfully printed below is the sponge and sauce recipe...yum yum!!

Sticky Toffee Pudding Sponge


Date Base Ingredients
5kg stoneless dates
5ltr water

Sponge
700g butter, room temp
2.2kg soft dark brown sugar
1.1kg whole egg
2.7kg date base
1.3kg soft flour
1.3kg strong flour
50g baking powder
20g bicarbonate of soda

Date Base
Place both ingredients in a pan and boil until the dates are soft. Liquidise and cool down.

Fudge Sauce
5500g sugar
1600g water
1600g glucose
250g butter
10.08ltr cream

Dissolve the sugar in to the water and wash the sides down of the pan so there is no visible sugar crystals showing, place on a medium heat until the mixture begins to boil.

At this stage add the glucose and wash down any visible sugar on the sides of the pan. Increase the heat.

Once the sugar has reached a dark caramel gently stir in half the cream and butter leave to cool of the heat for twenty minutes and add the rest of the cream. Pass through a fine sieve, chill and store.

For the Sponge
Pre-heat the oven to 170ºc
Cream the butter and sugar and slowly add the eggs one by one, mixing well. Add the date base. Sieve the rest of the dry ingredients and carefully fold in to the mix. Pipe into well greased foil cups and bake for 30 minutes and allow to cool a little.

To assemble the puddings slice off the tops and discard. Cut the rest into 3 discs, then reassemble by pouring a little hot sauce into the bottom of a polystyrene cup and building it up with the other two slices and more sauce between each and pressing firmly into cup. Finally pour a little more sauce on top. It is important that the sauce and sponge are not cold or the sponge will not absorb the sauce.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS FOR REAL PIGS AND MAKES 100 PORTIONS!!!!

THE SAUCE................
Fudge Sauce

5500g sugar
1600g water
1600g glucose
250g butter
10.08ltr cream

Dissolve the sugar in to the water and wash the sides down of the pan so there is no visible sugar crystals showing, place on a medium heat until the mixture begins to boil.

At this stage add the glucose and wash down any visible sugar on the sides of the pan. Increase the heat.

Once the sugar has reached a dark caramel and is starting to smoke. Gently stir in half the cream and butter leave to cool of the heat for twenty minutes and add the rest of the cream. Pass through a fine sieve, chill and store.


See you later
MC and the Sublime Crew

about time too!! What will the public say?!?!

Hello everyone,
well I broke the 1st 2 rules my middle'n' gave me:

1. don't be pretentious
2. update regularly

I have been off the radar so to speak inanutshellytypething.....I have been busy though in Acton, participating in a LAA inspection panel.

A very difficult thing to do, but we got there in the end without falling out too much.

since I have been back in BC all things are go, and I now have a group of PGDip students who are great!!

Last week, I missed eating in Taste restaurant, as we were locked into our base room in Acton with a big minder called Dave.....I lived on sandwiches, but sneaked out on Thursday to enjoy 'TASTE OF SCOTLAND' a Burns celebration that has been a tradition at the college for a number of years, our own DM addressed the Haggis (Hamish) as she is of the Caledonian ilk... if that is the expression that I want.

Actually since Tuesday, I have been a bit more relaxed, as my wife and little boy are away....so to be honest I did not wash the dishes or even begin the list of chores that were left for me....I intend to start this evening, say midnight.....nothing like a bit of pressure!!

I , realise now how difficult it is to keep a blog going and to regularly update, so my hat is already off to you wonderful technowizzkidpeeps.........as I said to my son ....pretentious? Moi?

see you soon

MC and the inspection crew