Multitasking.

In a 'Chef's Tips' book, it says "if you run out of self-raising flour, the general rule to make your own is to add two and a half teaspoons of baking powder to 8 oz (225g) plain flour."

As a guide, here is a list showing the proportion of level teaspoons of baking powder to plain flour when making:
Scones: 8 oz plain flour, 4 tsp baking powder
Plain mix: 8 oz plain flour, 3 tsp baking powder
Rich mix: 8 oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder
Very rich mix: 8 oz plain flour, NO raising agent
Victoria Sandwich: 4 oz plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder.

Not sure why Tovey's recipe for S.T.Pudding had two lots of raising agents in, am using the one he gave me, but then maybe he improved on it. Not sure what the bicarb does to the dates, but obviously needed.
Even when cooked in a 9" (23cm) tin, this pudding is so rich only small portions need be served. Even my Beloved is satisfied with one-ninth.
Sticky Toffee Pudding: serves 9
8 oz (225g) stoned dates, chopped
1 tbsp instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
half pint (300ml) boiling water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Put all the above together in a bowl, adding the bicarb at the end. Leave to stand to cool down slightly, meanwhile prepare the rest of the pudding:
4 0z (100g) butter, softened
6 oz (175g) caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
8 oz (225g) S.R. flour, sieved
Cream together the butter and sugar, and slowly beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour, then stir in the dates including the liquid, and carefully fold together. The mixture will be very runny. Pour into a 9" square tin that has been greased and lined with baking parchment , making sure enough paper rises above the sides of the tin to hold in the sauce once it has been poured over.
The recipe says 'bake for one and a half hours at 180C, 350F, gas 4 - but I find it is normally cooked in less time, so check after one hour).

Normally the topping (recipe below) is then poured over the top and the pudding returned to the oven until the sauce bubbles, alternatively it can be grilled until bubbling, then served immediately - often with cream. Myself like to add the topping once the pudding is out of the oven, let it flow over the top, settle at the sides (the paper holding it in place) then when cold, the whole pudding can be scored through into nine equal portions (two cuts down, two across) and then frozen as-is in the tin, a portion removed when needed, or each wrapped separately (freeing the tin for use). These puds reheat extremely well in the microwave, allow about one minute for each portion. Extra sauce can be made when ready to serve to pour over. Alternatively freeze without the sauce and make this fresh when ready to reheat.

sauce for Sticky Toffee Pudding:
3 oz (75g) soft brown sugar
2 oz (50g) butter
3 tblsp double cream
Heat together until the sugar has dissolved, then pour over pudding and follow directions above. Probably worth making extra as this is mega-good.

Even rushing through today's blog, reaching the finishing line took longer than intended, so must say my farewells for today and looking forward (as ever) to meeting up with you all again tomorrow.











Basically - yesterday afternoon was spent