I love pumpkin. I love sticky toffee puddings. When I saw New York Time's recipe for pumpkin sticky toffee puddings, I thought whoever made the combination was genius. I immediately collected all ingredients the recipe called for. I almost followed the recipe. Yes, almost. The recipe said, "Don't skip the crème fraîche (or yogurt). That tang is essential for keeping any cloying sweetness at bay". That scared me, so I reduced a good amount of sugar and ensured crème fraîche would be for topping. The result was, to be honest, disappointing. Surely it wasn't too sweet but the pudding was dry and tough. I think my aggressive reduction of sugar caused the unappealing texture. I didn't like crème fraîche as a topping. The sourness was awkward. Maybe it was because my puddings weren't so cloying? Moreover, one tablespoon brandy to the sauce was too boozy. The pudding on Day 2 became slightly moister. I cooked the sauce to get a rid of sharp booziness. Plus, serving with whipped cream improved the entire experience. I still admire the idea of pumpkin sticky toffee puddings. I will seek the proper amount of sugar next time if there is next time.
