04
MAKE IT
NOW
Dark Toffee Sauce
MAKES 1^3 ⁄ 4 CUPS /
15 MINUTES
Melt 6 tbsp. unsalted
butter in a medium
saucepan. Whisk in
11 / 2 cups whipping
cream,^3 / 4 cup packed
dark brown sugar,
and 3 tbsp. molasses.
Cook at a low boil,
whisking occasionally,
until dark reddish-brown,
7 to 8 minutes. Stir in(^3) / 4 tsp. vanilla extract
and a large pinch fine
sea salt.
Each autumn, Sunset’s
food editor Margo
True looks forward to
baking her recipe for
this spicy, tender cake
with plump Medjool
dates from the West.
“They make it totally
irresistible,” she says.
(Several Test Kitchen
tasters are still licking
their plates.)
SERVES 9 TO 12 / 2 HOURS
3 tsp. baking soda, divided
10 oz. Medjool dates, halved,
pitted, and coarsely chopped
11 ⁄ 2 cups flour, plus more for pan
(^1) ⁄ 4 tsp. fine salt
5 tbsp. soft unsalted butter, cut
into chunks, plus more for pan
11 ⁄ 4 cups toasted walnut pieces
Dark Toffee Sauce (recipe
above), divided
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. each dried, instant
espresso and vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Mail-Order Treat
Caramel-sweet Coachella
Valley Medjools from
Rancho Meladuco Date
Farm strike a perfect
balance between chewy
and luscious. $16/2 lbs. ,
ranchomeladuco.com.
Butter and flour pan, includ-
ing parchment. Cover bottom
evenly with walnuts, then
pour^3 / 4 cup Dark Toffee
Sauce evenly over nuts to
barely coat.
- Meanwhile, in a stand mixer
with the paddle attachment,
cream 5 tbsp. butter and the
sugar on medium speed until
light and fluffy, about 4 min-
utes. Dissolve espresso in
vanilla, then beat into bowl
along with eggs. Reduce
speed to low and, in 2 batch-
es, beat in flour mixture. Stir
in date mixture (with liquid).
Pour batter into pan. - Bake cake until a skewer in-
serted in center emerges with
a few crumbs sticking, 45 to
50 minutes, and cake is no
longer wet-looking in center.
(It will look very dark when
done.) Let cool 15 minutes in
pan on a wire rack, then in-
vert onto a rimmed platter.
Peel off parchment and let
cool at least 15 minutes more. - Cut cake into squares and
serve with remaining Dark
Toffee Sauce, for drizzling.
PER SERVING (^1 ⁄ 12 OF CAKE), WITH
2 TBSP. SAUCE 553 Cal., 49% (273 cal.)
from fat; 6 g protein; 31 g fat (15 g sat.);
69 g carbo (2.8 g fiber); 1,050 mg sodium;
93 mg chol. V
CALIFORNIA STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING
- Preheat oven to 325° with
a rack in the center. - Bring 1^1 / 4 cups water to a boil
in a small saucepan. Remove
from heat and stir in 1 tsp.
baking soda; then stir in
dates. Let cool. - In a medium bowl, whisk
11 / 2 cups flour with remain-
ing 2 tsp. baking soda and
the salt; set aside. Butter bot-
tom of an 8-in. square baking
pan and line with a piece of
parchment paper cut to fit,
smoothing out any wrinkles.
88 OCTOBER 2018 ❖ SUNSET