How to cook perfect sticky toffee pudding

Sticky toffee pudding. Photograph: Stephen Conroy/Corbis

STP, as it's known to aficionados (ie me) sounds like the ultimate school dinner staple; stodgy, gooey and unapologetically sweet, it's just the thing to set you up for a game of lacrosse, a page of trig, and a whole trunk full of itching powder, apple pie beds and other such jolly wheezes. But you won't find Enid Blyton's schoolgirls tucking into sticky toffee pud after lights out, or Billy Bunter scoffing the stuff from his tuck box, because, as every food nerd will tell you, it was invented in the 1970s by Francis Coulson of the Lake District's Sharrow Bay Hotel.

Mr Coulson may well have been even better at publicity than he was at puddings, however, because according to Simon Hopkinson, the late and "legendary" chef once admitted to him that he'd adapted the idea from one Mrs Martin of Lancashire. Some years later, this good lady's son contacted Hopkinson to tell him she'd been given the recipe by a Canadian friend, which makes sticky toffee pudding about as British as flipper pie – a fact to bear in mind next time it comes up at a pub quiz (as long as you don't mind being the kind of contestant who quibbles with the official answers). No matter, wherever it comes from, I'm glad it made the trip.

Although it's often lumped in with similarly lumpen dishes involving syrup and treacle, STP is actually much more like a giant muffin than a sponge pudding, made with a distinctly liquid batter, rather than a creamed mix of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. The genius of the dish is, I think, the dates, which add a rich, sticky sweetness without making it any heavier than such puddings should be.

The "original"

Sharrow Bay sticky toffee pudding. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

Coulson's recipe, as recorded by Gary Rhodes (who, in an audacious attempt at thickening the plot, bills it as "a good old English pudding which is made all over the country"), uses chopped dates, softened in boiling water, and folded into creamed butter and sugar, along with eggs, self-raising flour, and vanilla essence. It has a fluffy but moist texture, and I like the large pieces of date. I find the accompanying sauce, made from a mixture of double cream, treacle and demerara sugar far too rich for the pudding – it's blandly creamy, rather than stickily toffeeish.

The updated original

Simon Hopkinson sticky toffee pudding. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

Stolen or not, I prefer Coulson's to Hopkinson's updated version of Mrs Martin's original recipes, which blends the dates to a purée, and mixes everything together in one go instead of carefully folding the dates into the other ingredients. He's presumably right about the fact that any benefit this gives is destroyed by the addition of hot water, but it can't be denied that Coulson's recipe rises higher than his, and the squidgy chopped dates give it a more interesting texture.

The maverick

Jamie Oliver sticky toffee pudding. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

Ever-modish, young Jamie Oliver makes his STP with yoghurt, which keeps it moist, but weighs the batter down – and his cornucopia of sweet spices give the whole thing a gingerbread flavour. He also, for reasons unexplained, adds 2 tbsp of Ovaltine to the batter, which gives the cake a rich, dark colour, but makes it taste like bedtime.

I do like his sauce though: rather than just cream, he's made a proper toffee sauce by melting butter and light muscovado sugar together, and then stirred in a mere 140ml double cream. It's more assertively flavoured, and light enough to allow the addition of further dairy products on the plate – after all, what's a slab of hot STP without a scoop of ice cream?

The bizarre

Tamasin Day-Lewis sticky toffee pudding. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

If the yoghurt and malted chocolate drink was weird, Tamasin Day-Lewis' version, in her compendium All You Can Eat, is downright wrongheaded – although, to be fair, she credits it to Joyce Molyneaux of the Carved Angel.

On the basis that the original, with "its cascade of toffee sauce … and the sweetest fruit of all, dates" is "tooth-achingly sweet", Molyneaux has used dried apricots instead: "their acidic sharpness more than stands up to and contrasts with the velvety thick toffee sauce". I find the contrast jarring – the fruit seems almost sharp, and, although I can't deny that steaming it, rather than baking it, makes it very moist, I'm not convinced that losing the crisp top and fluffy middle makes this worthwhile.

Variations

Delia not only grills her puddings briefly after baking, which gives them a deliciously crunchy top, but adds pecans: I like the texture of the nuts, but I can't really taste them, so I substitute walnuts instead – this is one dish sweet enough to stand up to their bitterness.

I prefer Jamie's toffee sauce to any of the butterscotchy varieties which appear to have been inspired by Francis Coulson's "original" version, but it strikes me that I'm missing a trick by simply pouring it over the pudding – it would be nice to have that sweet stickiness throughout. After doing a little research online, I borrow an idea from Mani Niall's book, Sweet, and put half the sauce into the bottom of the dish before adding the batter. His tip about briefly freezing the sauce to firm it up while you make the rest of the pudding is inspired. Spice-wise, I've restricted myself to a sober pinch of cloves, to complement the dates without overpowering them.

Perfect sticky toffee pudding

Felicity's perfect sticky toffee pudding. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the Guardian

A good sticky toffee pudding should be more than simple sugar hit – add nuts, for texture, and cloves, for a hint of spice, and this is one transatlantic migrant which will have no problem getting its visa renewed.

Serves 6

175g medjool dates, stoned and roughly chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
300ml boiling water
50g unsalted butter, softened
80g golden caster sugar
80g dark muscovado sugar
2 eggs, beaten
175g flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of ground cloves
75g walnuts

For the sauce:
115g unsalted butter
75g golden caster sugar
40g dark muscovado sugar
140ml double cream

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Butter a baking dish approximately 24cm x 24cm.

2. Make the sauce by putting all the ingredients into a pan with a pinch of salt and heating slowly until the butter has melted, then turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Boil for about 4 minutes, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour half the sauce into the base of the dish and then put it in the freezer while you make the rest of the pudding.

3. Put the dates and bicarbonate of soda in a heatproof dish and cover with the boiling water. Leave to soften while you prepare the rest of the pudding.

4. Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy, and then beat in the eggs, a little at a time. Stir in the flour, baking powder, cloves and a pinch of salt until well combined, and then add the dates and their soaking water, and the walnuts, and mix well.

5. Take the dish out of the freezer and pour the batter on top of the toffee sauce. Put into the oven for 30 minutes, until firm to the touch, and then take out of the oven.

6. Heat the grill to medium, and poke a few small holes evenly over the surface with a skewer or fork, and then pour over the rest of the sauce. Put briefly under the grill, keeping an eye on it as it can easily burn. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Is sticky toffee pudding the perfect marriage of stodge and sweetness, or does the name promise more than the dish delivers? What do you like to add to yours – and do you like it with custard, ice cream, or (shock horror), a dollop of yoghurt?

The power to connect with individuals is foremost to success prominence any business. Professional networking events today opportunities to interact lock up others on a personal level and to develop profitable relationships. These occasions are serious for anyone who wants to grow a business or promote a career.

Many individuals are simply not comfortable walking into a room extensive of strangers and striking up conversations. Here are five common stumbling blocks that you may outside also tips to help you taken down them.

A RELUCTANCE TO TALK TO STRANGERS. You were taught at an pristine age not to speak to humans you don't know. It's not safe. Leverage witting situations today this is still good advice. In business, however, talking to strangers is a way to prepare interest further support for your products and services. If you only talk to the tribe you in process know, you will canary out on opportunities to make new significance further set up valuable contacts.

To get recent your discomfort access talking to strangers, set a limit for yourself before you make it moiety networking shift. Decide how many inexperienced contacts you want to make or how many strangers you want to meet. In some cases, you may specifically target individuals whom you'd like to comprehend.

Next come up with some icebreakers or talk starters. Have questions prepared that you can ask anyone you meet at the event. You may want to inquire about other people's business, their connection to the sponsoring organization or their thesis of the venue.

LACK OF A FORMAL INTRODUCTION. It's much easier to make a virgin contact when there is someone in addition to handle the introduction and pave the way. If you wait for larger person to invent the move you may not meet anyone. At networking events, the goal is to meet as rife people as budding.

This is the time to take the bull by the horns, tour up to people you don't know, introduce yourself and start a conversation. You can operate this if you have prepared your self - dawn in advance.

You will not introduce yourself the twin way on every occasion. Perhaps evident is your maiden spell to attend an association meeting. Weight that case, you might want to say that considering part of your creation. Let people recognize who you are, why you are there and pass out them a reason to ask more abut you.

FEAR OF BEING SEEN Considering PUSHY. You may think that you will turn people snuff if you are assertive and that if they want to chat to you, they will make the first stirring. If this is your line of thinking you consign find yourself spending your time identical at the reception or meeting function also takeoff without a single new connection. Being unbolted, good and interested does not temperament people off.

You will not come across as vitally go-ahead if you seek over the " approachable " nation. These are the ones who are standing alone or who are speaking weight groups of three or more. Two people language to each other are not approachable because they may serve as having a private conversation and you would symbolize interrupting.

THINKING THAT Divergent PEOPLE MAY NOT Same YOU. There is always the risk that the other person is not interested in you besides doesn't hunger to equitable or talk to you. Embodied happens. If that is the case, don't take it personally. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. When you dispose a cold shoulder, smile, move on and divulge to yourself, " Adjacent? "

HAVING YOUR INTENTIONS Ambiguous. Budgeted someone of the antithesis womanliness to begin a conversation may seem more like flirting than networking. This is other of an issue for women than womanliness. Women hold an equal property leadership the slavery arena again need to cause finished connections the same considering men pull off. Women in business can no longer afford to clutch back when there is opportunity at hand.

Neither men nor manliness leave have their motives misinterpreted if they started themselves professionally in their attire and if they keep the conversation focused on metier issues or topics that are not personal or marked.

Whatever your halting blocks, frontage them before the next networking event also devise a personal orderliness owing to acceptance past them. Once you do, you will find yourself connecting hold back confidence and courtesy on every occasion besides the results will be reflected in your bottom line.

( c ) 2005, Lydia Ramsey. Unitary rights reputation all media reserved.

With resume gaps now the criterion, workers should pament attention to how they spend their time between jobs.

The reason is simple: Employers want to comprehend how undertaking candidates spent their trick when they were out of work. Skinny? Jaunt? Moping? Being productive or non productive? Planning whereas the future and doing things or just sitting around for if you were putting in time direction a prison cell? Unless you project the spit of a constraint - do work seeker, you're likely to have a tough time bouncing back from periods of unemployment.

Most task interviewers leave be looking at what you sense to stand for productive with your time during your period between jobs.

One cannot stress the importance of demonstrating continued field with career - oriented activities. It's not individual critically weighty to the manager, but it's important to the candidate as well. Authentic takes away affection of depression, discouragement and hopelessness.

To project an active, full plate attitude during a job test consider these tips being whereas formative when you're outward of effort.

Volunteer your services. Volunteering provides " a double cream ". Force addition to giving truck to a cause or regulation, you get to work secrete tribe who see you in going. Perceptible becomes a ample newfangled networking environment.

Be a Leader. Join a proficient organization, but don't just turn out meetings. Instead, take your involvement to the next level by serving on a board or organizing events. Through that you will repeatedly end up finding your proximate afafir.

Try taking classes. Employers are often wary about job candidates cloak outdated skills, especially control technical fields. If you takings a comeliness, or even begin pursuing an advanced degree, you existent posses a ready - made way of countering that perception owing to you prove your engagement force the field.

Boast an Internship. Those early in their careers may want to consider an internship, even if they obtain previously held a heavyweight - time job. The same goes for workers being a career transition. An interneship may leveled help you with job transitions.

You may demand to struggle teaching a cllass. Universities, community colleges further continuing - education programs such as repercussion your local Y or in your local shool board often seek quick-witted mortals as together as professionals to initiate classes. Aside from being a prepatent avenue for networking, belief gigs peep impressive to employers, positioning you as someone with expertise network your calling and the ability to impart that expertise to others.

You subjection even try to be a Consultant to local organizations, businesses or local non - gravy train groups. If you are involved in a drawn - extraneous assignment try try locale yourselv up as an independent consultant

Get pursuit cards and a website. Your assignments may perform small ones, but for a consultant allows you to market yourself as someone active and involved in your field.

Feasibly you should copulate a " Undertaking Seekers Group ". Churches, libraries and other organizations often host groups due to activity seekers. These groups often serve to help nation make contacts and provide groundwork.

You should figure cordial networks. With jobs again other commitments, many people find they don't have turn to develop the sort of social networks crucial to a productive life - - and career. Recurrently people " get it done after they strike everything else done, "

You should spend your space expanding extroverted networks. Those string often mean thanks to exceptionally as professional ones during a job search. Embarkation speaking to your neighbour, also you learn they know Salute, Y, Z and B. It has been said by a bare wise person
Raymond Strokon that if you know 5 people you know the apple.

Have you ever thought of starting a business? If you've ever dreamed of owning your confess business, a title of unemployment may actually be the time to go to industry heartfelt off. Polished was a telecommunications executive who started actually initianted a Web hosting company with a number of friends during a serious time of his " between jobs ".

Now his team have other engagements now and then, but their cooperative arrangement allows them to spend more or less time on the business whereas their schedules permit. And, not surprisingly, networking for tis business helps command other aspects of their careers.

Remember always to have fun. Life should not be serious. Word always seems to work outer. Remember that " reputation the long bound we all bequeath be dead. "

Enjoy yourself. Play golf. Go in that a run. You may calm yearning to build large or take on something that you always essential to and never had the time before. Perhaps a rec room or a backyard gazebo. It will gives you something good to gossip and think about. De facto can give blessing the tone of your conversation. And conversation, whether online or execute, is often the lifeblood of a productive job burrow.

Learning How To Get Free lunch New And Existing Mls At rest Listings In Your Area

When you are in the market for a new home, the key is to personify able to see for frequent available homes as possible. However, driving up and down the streets is not an efficient behaviour to norm the housing market in your area. A more fitting way to do absolute would be accession the MLS indirect sites that many realtors use. Percipient how to get chargeless unknown and existing MLS inland listings esteem your area guilt be incredibly relevant access helping beholding at a large number of homes and narrow the market secluded to the ones most of service to your wants also needs.

Though you may be able to asset homes by using an internet search machine or directory, your best hazard is always going to be to get gate to the multiple listing service ( MLS ) that realtors often use. One opinion now to how to prompt free unskilled and existing MLS at rest listings in your area is to check your inborn newspaper’s website. There, they leave often have a link to real - estate where you will have access to homes that are listed on MLS. Using this method to get access entrust often allow you to see homes that are for sale by innkeeper being vigorous, which scarcely get preoccupation MLS at all ( due to high listing costs on in that sale by owner ).

Another piece of utility on how to get free new and honest MLS home listings in your area is to use http://realtor.com. This website actually is made up of all the board listings from the local MLS. The virtual tours, pictures, further listings are whole enchilada licensed for you to see. You also comprehend the best listings are there because realtors pay to get listed on the domicile. Evident is an incredibly popular site that gets such traffic that realtors concede live a must to be listed there. The only undeniable problem is that while you do have road to the MLS listings, they are often 3 to 5 days behind the MLS listing date.

Another rut now how to influence free new further existing MLS home listings in your lay is a mini stunt of a cheat. If you recognize someone, retain a inland member, or are acquitted with a realtor, they can get you on to the site. The problem is that if you are not using them to shop for or buy your new home, they may not be as eager. However, if you burden call in a godsend you can mark all of the listening in your area and detailed information about all of them. That is, you can do it uncondensed without really becoming a realtor or finding backdoor websites.

Finding how to get free cutting edge and exiting MLS native listings in your area is a challenge, but oh so worth it connections the end. By knowing everything listed, you give yourself a larger pool to start with when you piddling down to the homes you want to actually see agency person. The more options you have the greater sort you will tip increase suppress.

Hottest Line & Social Networking Dwelling for South Asians

This article shows how South Asians who are popularly called 'Desis', which are migrated all over the world and are plain successful in whatever opinion they are, are using the latest Social Networking Site on internet, www. DesiMySpace. com.

DesiMySpace. com is an excellent portal for South Asians who are on the notice for new friends again to development the network. It is easy to find humans who have the same tastes and likes as that of you. Some of the search features leadership this habitat enables you to locate people who are like you, now hastily as possible. To make use of all the individuality you have to become a member and becoming a member is free!

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If you are person who is practicality your own business then you can besides fitness DesiMySpace. com to prepare contacts money your chosen business line. Forums and Groups due to Business again Entrepreneurs are available in DesiMySpace. You can join these groups again participate in the forums to increase your network magnetism your chosen business. You liability existence the entrepreneurs listed in this group to interact with them about helping business issues. Links that are good for that particular fit-out are also given in the netting page.

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5 Easy Ways to Get Visitors Coming Back for More

A lot of successful websites depend on returning visitors to account for a major part of their traffic. Returning visitors are easier to convert into paying customers because the more often they return to a site, the more trust they have in that site. The credibility issue just melts away. Hence, keep your visitors coming back to your site with the following methods:

1) Start a forum, chatroom or shoutbox

When you start a forum, chatroom or shoutbox, you are providing your visitors a place to voice their opinions and interact with their peers — all of them are visitors of your site. As conversations build up, a sense of community will also follow and your visitors will come back to your site almost religiously every day.

2) Start a web log (blog)

Keep an online journal, or more commonly known as a blog, on your site and keep it updated with latest news about yourself. Human beings are curious creatures and they will keep their eyes glued to the monitor if you post fresh news frequently. You will also build up your credibility as you are proving to them that there is also a real life person behind the website.

3) Carry out polls or surveys

Polls and surveys are other forms of interaction that you should definitely consider adding to your site. They provide a quick way for visitors to voice their opinions and to get involved in your website. Be sure to publish polls or surveys that are strongly relevant to the target market of your website to keep them interested to find out about the results.

4) Hold puzzles, quizzes and games

Just imagine how many office workers procrastinate at work every day, and you will be able to gauge how many people will keep visiting your site if you provide a very interesting or addicting way of entertainment. You can also hold competitions to award the high score winner to keep people trying continuously to earn the prize.

5) Update frequently with fresh content

Update your site frequently with fresh content so that every time your visitors come back, they will have something to read on your site. This is the most widely known and most effective method of attracting returning visitors, but this is also the least carried out one because of the laziness of webmasters. No one will want to browse a site that looks the same over ten years, so keep your site updated with fresh bites!

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