Pear Sticky Toffee Cakes with Miso-Caramel Sauce
Pear Sticky Toffee Cakes with Miso-Caramel Sauce…be still my heart!
I can never pass up any dessert with “sticky toffee” in the name. I just love a date-centric small cake that’s been drenched in a toffee sauce and topped with a vanilla cream or whipped cream. Let’s just say that it’s dangerous!
These cakes elevate the entire concept by adding pear chunks that almost melt into the batter and the toffee sauce is enhanced with miso to give you that extra umami zap!
If you’re looking to get your “sticky toffee” fix, this will satisfy you beyond belief!
The cakes are simple to make. Begin by softening the dates in a saucepan with water. Bring them to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Mash them until they are smooth.
Cream the brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Add the eggs, followed by the dry ingredients.
Finally stir in the date mixture and fold in the pear chunks.
Divide the batter between 12 muffin cups and bake for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the miso-caramel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan. Add the brown sugar and miso and whisk until combined. Whisk in the heavy cream and set aside until you are ready to use.
Whip the additional heavy cream until soft peaks form and set aside.
Once the cakes come out of the oven, immediately poke holes all over them with a wooden toothpick or skewer. Spoon a tablespoon of miso-caramel sauce over each one and let the cakes cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
Run a small offset spatula around each cake and invert them onto individual plates. Top each one with more miso-caramel sauce, dollop some whipped cream over and get ready to experience the treat of a lifetime! Cheers!
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Pear Sticky Toffee Cakes with Miso-Caramel Sauce
Makes: 12 cakes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour & 10 minutes
Ingredients
Pear Sticky Toffee Cakes:
- 1 cup dried dates (about 6 ounces), pitted and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/4 ounces), plus more for dusting tin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (2 ounces), plus softened butter for greasing tin
- 2 large eggs
- 2 medium Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/3-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
Miso-Caramel Sauce:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (6 ounces)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white miso (organic, if possible)
- 1 cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Pear Sticky Toffee Cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with softened butter, and dust with flour; set aside. Stir together dates and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until dates are softened and liquid is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool 5 minutes. Using a potato masher or fork, mash mixture until mostly smooth; set aside.
Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Place brown sugar and butter in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Stir in date mixture. Fold in pear pieces.
Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 1/3 inch from top (about 1/3 cup each). (Discard any remaining batter, or reserve for another use.) Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cakes comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the miso-caramel sauce.Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low. Add brown sugar and miso; whisk until dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream. Let mixture come to a boil; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat; set aside until ready to use.
Once cakes are finished baking, remove from oven; immediately poke holes all over cakes with a wooden pick. Spoon about 1 tablespoon miso-caramel sauce over each cake. Let cakes cool in muffin tin 20 minutes, occasionally poking additional holes to help sauce soak in.
To make the whipped cream, beat heavy cream in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
Run a small offset spatula around each cake to help loosen from muffin tin. Invert cakes onto individual serving plates; top each with about 1 & 1/2 tablespoons miso-caramel sauce. Serve with whipped cream and remaining miso-caramel sauce.
Recipe by Food & Wine
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