Sticky Toffee-Date Cake

• Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C. Generously grease twelve 6-­oz / 170g ramekins or a muffin tin and set on a baking sheet.
  
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the dates (soaked overnight if extra hard) and water, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes to soften. Turn off the heat and let sit for another 5 minutes until tender; it may take up to 10 minutes if your dates are dried out.
• In a blender, puree the dates with their soaking water until smooth. Alternatively, you can mash the dates and remaining water with a fork if you took the step to also soak them overnight. Return the puree to the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda and ginger; the mixture will foam and darken. (The baking soda neutralizes the acid in the dates and creates a rich dark color.) Let cool slightly.
  
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium-­high speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Turn the mixer speed to medium, add the brown sugar and vanilla to the butter, and beat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light in color and about double in volume.
• Turn the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined. Scrape the bowl after each addition. Add the rum and mix until evenly incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Add one-­third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed, just until combined.
• Add half of the dates and mix to incorporate. Repeat with another one-­ third flour, the remaining dates, and then finish with the final one-­ third flour, scraping the bowl and paddle after each addition. Mix only enough to combine.
• Evenly scrape the batter into the prepared ramekins.
  
• Bake until the cakes are golden and a tester comes out with moist crumbs, about 30 minutes. Don’t overbake; you want them to be slightly pudding-like, but the tester shouldn’t be wet.

To Make the Sauce

• While the cakes are baking, in a small saucepan over medium-­ high heat, combine the cream, brown sugar, rum, butter, and salt and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Then turn the heat to medium-­low and simmer until thicker, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• When the cakes come out of the oven, using a skewer, poke holes every 1 ⁄ 2 inch / 1.3cm, through to the bottoms, and spoon two-­thirds of the sauce over the tops. If the sauce doesn’t get completely absorbed into the cake, poke a few more holes.
  
• Let the cakes cool for about 10 minutes, then invert onto individual plates and spoon the remaining sauce over the tops. Serve immediately with ice cream or whipped cream and crushed praline (if desired).
  

Crushed Praline

• Line a baking sheet with lightly greased parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup and let melt, without stirring.
• Allow the mixture to boil until the sugar just starts to turn amber along the edge. You can now stir without fear of crystallizing.
• When the caramel is evenly deep amber throughout and just starting to smoke, turn off the heat and stir in the pecans and salt. Immediately pour the nut mixture in a thin layer onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Let the mixture cool completely, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until the praline is pulverized and there are no pieces larger than a pine nut.
  
• Transfer the praline in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry spot for up to 3 days.