Apple Pie - the SDP of North America?

So, there haven't been any posts for quite a while. That's for a very good reason - lack of material, so to speak. This continent appears to be an SDP-free-zone. Therefore, we decided to once again make our own, but we were hindered by the lack of a crucial ingredient at the local supermarket.

As SDP is the national dessert of Australia (that's right, move over pav), apple pie is to North America, or at least the US. So we decided to give it a go, pastry and all.



I think it turned out quite well. It's been keeping us happy for the last three days.

100 mL does not a metric cup maketh

And that is today's lesson. Explains why we've often needed more flour than expected in many recipes... oh well. This was pointed out by my sister, who insisted in us making a batch up SDP this afternoon. Dates were purchased fresh from the Queen Vic Market, which made a real difference - much easier to chop up.

The photo shows the pudding in the state in which it should ideally be consumed; steaming hot.

The verdict for this batch is - yummy. And nicely accompanied by the strawberries.

100% SDP

100% SDP
Originally uploaded by knicole7.

We had a weekend away from Melbourne. Off to Gippsland, but not the flooded bit. Just the cold, somwhat wet bit. Checked into our B&B and headed to the Grand Ridge Brewery in Mirboo North.

Fantastic beer, good mains, lovely ambiance, beautiful sticky date pudding.

As you can see, cream instead of ice-cream, but it was still yummy. An added bonus was the rasberry something they had on the bottom. Yummy.

Honestly though, after a couple beers and some champagne, I was really just hungry and scarfed it down with the rigour I usually save for SDP.

The Card Night

A card night was held, which had a Mexican theme in all but the dessert. Burritos were eaten, Coronas were consumed, but not even this overwhelming Mexicana could displace the SDP from it's position as the king of desserts. What is a Mexican dessert anyway? However, I must confess that this was frozen pudding from the supermarket, which, after warming in the oven, was shovelled out onto plates and drowned in cream (butterscotch sauce was sadly not included in the box).

It was sticky, it was datey, it was pudding-ey, it was hot, it was not bad for a foil-wrapped effort. In an emergency, I have no hesitation in recommending the frozen SDP.

Wedding at Poet's Lane

Congratulations Amanda and Pete! Not only did they became husband and wife in grand style at Poet's Lane, they also presented a grand dessert buffet, including the SDP.

The pudd' was warm, springy and moist, if a little pale. Paleness could be related to the amount of date, as we found with our own experiment. The ice cream and strawberries made the perfect companions.

Critiquing Ourselves

We found a recipe online and decided to give it a go:

You need:
1 1/4 cups pitted dates
1 cup water
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
60g table margerine
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups SR flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Butterscotch sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
150ml cream
125g butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Method:
1. Check oven shelf position (middle shelf) and turn on oven to 180C. Grease and flour muffin trays.
2. Measure dates and chop into small pieces. Put into suacepan.
3. Measure water into saucepan and place on stove.
4. Bring dates and water to boil, reduce heat and simmer until dates are mushy.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
6. Beat eggs. Measure table marg.
7. Measure and sift flour and bi-carb soda onto plate.
8. Measure and add sugar and vanilla to date mixture. Add marg.
9. Add eggs gradually, stirring well after each addition. Fold in flour and soda with a wooden spoon.
10. Spoon mixture into muffin tins and bake for 12-15 minutes.
11. Turn out muffins onto cake cooler. Cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm.

Butterscotch sauce
1. Measure sugar, cream, butter and vanilla into a saucepan.
2. Combine all ingredients - bring to boil while stirring.
3. Turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Keep warm in a jug.

Serving Suggestion: Place one sticky date pudding onto a small plate. Pour a little butterscotch sauce over pudding, place a scoop of icecream beside pudding and garnish with mint leaves.

It was yummy. We have a lot of little sticky date muffins now. It could be darker in color. More dates next time, but making it was great. The smell was incredible. Even before we added all the sugar and stuff. Yum-may

We'll have to give another go sometime.

Friendly Sticky Date BBQ Dessert

This particular little SDP was eaten on Anzac Day, which is traditionally a biscuit day, but I think that SDP is a suitably Aussie substitute, nonetheless. And, to top it off, home made by a friend. It was more a sticky data cake, cooked in a large tray and then cut up for sharing. Even the butterscotch sauce was brought along in a separate container to pour out over the delicious little pieces. Just the treat after waiting for an hour and a half for a sausage to cook on a public BBQ. Obviously we couldn't warm either the cake or the sauce, but very very tasty.

Yeah Maan SDP

Yeah Maan SDP
Originally uploaded by knicole7.

The inspiration.

Finally, we arrived at Yeah Maan, AND it was open and they had Sticky Date Pudding.

As good as I remembered it. Definitely the best presentation so far with the kiwis, strawberries, ice-cream and cinnamon stick garnish. I also like the cinnamon dusted on the plate. Yeah maan.

The taste was consistent and enchanting. I also took a picture of the menu, and maybe one day when I'm not feeling so cheap, I'll text it to Adam's phone and he can bluetooth it to the computer (my phone doesn't have that feature).

My brother Mark was visiting and quite enjoyed Yeah Maan as well. Only he ordered the 'Apple Thingy', which was actually also quite good. Warmed cinnamon apples covered in a carmalized red wine sauce. I like the sauce. Red wine sauce over sticky date? Maybe we'll give it a go one day.

Anyway, the only criticism of 'the inspiration' was Adam felt that there wasn't enough butterscotch sauce.

Still yummy though.


Maybe I'm not as cheap as I thought...

SDD - Sticky Date Disappointment

This post involves the home of the greatest SDP that we have yet tasted, Yeah Maan, and two unfortunate occurences. Firstly, we were all set for a evening of delicious Caribbean fare, topped off naturally with SDP delight. To our surprise and shock, the restaurant in question was dark, quiet and most definitely closed.

Secondly, a gathering was arranged for a group of friends at the same fine establishment, many of whom had been enticed with the promise of SDP. However, upon enquiry during the serving of the mains as to the availability of the dessert, we were informed that the last piece had just been served, and that no more would be forthcoming. Disaster!

Turns out that the reason for the lack of SDP was because at Yeah Maan it is made by the mother of one of the staff. So therein lies the secret - best because it is home made.

The moral of the story is: to avoid disappointment, order your dessert early.

In memory of Sticky Date that could have been....


Post written by Adam, picture added by Nicole

Birthday SDP

Birthday SDP
Originally uploaded by knicole7.

We started off the week quite sadly with the demise of our beloved Friz:

,
run over by a car outside Caulfield park. Rest in peace beloved...

Anyway, things were looking up with Durga's birthday and our task of buying the birthday cake. We walked by the bakery outside of Coles (can't remember the name right now sadly) in St. Kilda and paused in our footsteps. Could it be true? Is that a sticky date pudding? Our task was clear. We must buy it.

Clearly the 'Happy Birthday Durga' did not stay on the butterscotch sauce properly, but the bakery did provide us with an extra tub of that delicious sweetness to pour over the final cake.

So we met up with the gang at Mamma Dukes at Caulfield Monash to not only celebrate Durga's 26 years, but also her release from hospital (yay!). Expensive wine that was discounted for us flowed regularly, the dinners were satisfying and all were having a good time.

Alas, the "Happy Birthday" was sung and we hailed the beauty of Sticky Date with a sparkler on top. Pieces were cut, the extra butterscotch was placed on the table and all rejoiced...

Except, my beloved co-blogger. As we were handing out the many pieces of sticky date it seems that there was a miscount and Adam was left out of the distribution. Thus it forced us to share my small piece of sticky birthday...

It was good because it was birthday and had the extra sauce. It would have been better if it were heated, Adam got his own piece and there was some kind of ice cream beside it.

But I enjoyed it, and I believe the rest of the party did as well.

Stucky Date Pudding

Kia ora!

It appears that along with the possum, the sticky date pudding has been introduced into the land of the Kiwi, with similar devastating results on the local environment (well, maybe not).

This particular little sample was had in a pub in Motueka. It is a slight variation on the norm, in that the sauce was caramel, rather than the traditional butterscotch. Still OK, but not as good as the original. Let's just say that it didn't last long on the plate, and that was after four lamb chops for dinner, plus wedges for afternoon tea AND nachos for lunch. This was post kayak/hike semi-starvation, after all.

Done.

Sticky Date Honey

Sticky Date Honey
Originally uploaded by knicole7.

Honey? AND Sticky Date? I don't believe you.

But yes, it's true. Found in the fine honey producing country of New Zealand at the Honey Hive and Meadery outside of Taupo.

And what a selection of honey they had! We got there about 45 minutes before close, but this blogger still managed to walk out with over $40 worth of honey products. So yummy. The Rata is spectacular, but unfortunately only a memory now...

But I digress. So they had Sticky Date Honey. It's pretty close to the pudding, but with honey. I bought some and brought it back to Australia, so I can continue to taste it.

If honey could be a sticky date, it is. And this New Zealand version is it.

It was overkill. Honey AND Sticky Date. Too much... Too much...

The Cookie

SDCookie
Originally uploaded by knicole7.

Something new, something new.

First off, unlike my usual tastings, this one was done in quite a different (almost opposite) state of mind...

A bit hungover after a big night of Modest Mouse and having my oldest and dearest friend come for a visit, we decided to head to the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) to numb our aching heads.

I ordered my chai and a fudge cookie, when alas! I saw this sticky date ginger cookie. I had to get it even without my co-blogger present.

I must say it was fantastic. SDP works in the cookie form. My friend who was present said he prefered it to his fudge cookie. Yum Yum. I believe it is produced by the Byron Bay Cookie Company.

Final Review: An excellent substitute for the SDP and a happy solution to a sad hangover.