GA I L
SIMMONS
128 NOVEMBER 2019
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THERE ARE A FEW DESSERTS I never pass up if
they appear on a menu, and anything beginning
with “sticky toffee” in the name has always fallen
firmly in that category. Specifically, sticky tof-
fee cake (or pudding, as it’s often called) is my
kryptonite. The allure of warm toffee poured over
date-enhanced sponge cake and served with vanilla custard
or cream is too strong for my willpower to resist and far too
satisfying to deny.
What accounts for my fascination? A little digging suggests
that the dessert made famous by British chef Francis Coulson
at the Sharrow Bay hotel may in fact be Canadian in origin—
which would explain my penchant for it given that I, too, am
Canadian. The story goes that the dessert was initially made by
Patricia Martin at her country hotel in Claughton, England, and
later appeared as her contribution to a compilation of recipes
published in 1971. Reports differ as to whether she learned the
recipe from a Canadian friend or from two Canadian air force
officers who stayed at her hotel.
But I would love sticky toffee cake no matter where it origi-
nated. When the weather turns colder and I start planning for
the holidays ahead, this spoonable sweet is everything I need
in the dessert department. It’s easy to make for a crowd and
undeniably decadent.
I’ve recently taken to putting my own touches on the clas-
sic, giving the otherwise sweet and soft-textured dessert more
dimension and depth. In addition to the traditional dates, I like
to add chopped pears to the batter, where they cook down as
the individual cakes bake, and I add miso to the toffee, which
lends a salty savoriness that may sound gratuitous but exceeds
expectations. My recipe (see p. 126) serves 12, but you’ll be wish-
ing you’d made a whole lot more.
Pear Sticky
Toffee C ak es
with Miso-
Caramel Sauce
(recipe p. 126)
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photography by GREG DUPREE
