A foggy twist on an old English favorite
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 1 cup diced figs or chopped dates
- 2/3 cups boiling water
- 2 tablespoons dark molasses
- 1 cup king arthur i bleached cake flour blend
- 1/2 cup bakers special sugar or superfine sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- Carbohydrate 72.7574521291657 g
- Cholesterol 113.442238682537 mg
- Fat 29.152574289609 g
- Fiber 2.62666667143504 g
- Protein 4.61016656428564 g
- Saturated Fat 18.0449611392294 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (172g)
- Sodium 262.148957864549 mg
- Sugar 70.1307854577307 g
- Trans Fat 2.02034797824012 g
- Calories 560 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter six ¾-cup silicone baking cups or oven-safe custard cups. Combine the figs and boiling water, and set aside.
- To make the cake: Beat the 1/4 cup butter, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, then the molasses and vanilla, then the flour.
- Purée the figs and water in a food processor or blender. Add the baking soda, and stir into the batter.
- Pour into the prepared baking cups. Place molds on a baking sheet.
- Bake the cakes for 18 to 22 minutes, until a cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center. Remove from the oven, and cool in the molds or cups.
- To make the sauce: Cook the sugar, butter, and salt over medium heat until the mixture is a deep amber color; watch closely to prevent burning.
- Carefully mix in the cream. Cook the mixture until it's thick enough to coat a spoon.
- Unmold the cakes and serve with the sauce.
Operating with just six three-quarter-cup silicone baking molds changes how heat moves through a dessert, transforming a traditional multi-serving British pudding into quick-cooking individual portions that finish in under twenty-two minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Understanding how moisture behaves within these smaller vessels helps prevent dry edges while keeping the centers tender.
Fresh Versus Preserved Fruit Mechanics
Dried dates or figs require hot water reconstitution to mimic the moisture level of fresh fruit, yet they retain a denser cellular structure that yields a chewier final crumb than fresh produce would provide. Puréeing the reconstituted fruit along with its soaking liquid ensures that the natural sugars distribute evenly throughout the batter. Adding baking soda directly into this warm fruit purée creates a rapid chemical reaction, neutralizing the acidity of the molasses and generating carbon dioxide bubbles that lighten an otherwise heavy batter.Caramel Dynamics and Accompaniments
Transforming granulated sugar and butter into a deep amber sauce requires constant attention over medium heat, watching for the moment the mixture shifts from pale gold to a dark mahogany hue. Pouring heavy cream into molten sugar causes aggressive sputtering due to the temperature differential, so adding it slowly is crucial. Serving these rich cakes alongside unsweetened whipped cream or pouring a small measure of cold single cream over the warm pudding provides necessary dairy fat contrast to balance the intensely sweet caramel sauce.
