Gerard's Mustard Tart (FFWD) and Sticky Toffee Cake

Week 2 recipe for FFWD is Gerard’s Mustard Tart flavored with carrots, leeks, mustard, & rosemary. It was very good & we will definitely make it again. Leftovers cold the next day were good, too. Next time I will chop the leeks instead of cutting them into strips; cold, the strips were hard to cut through. This recipe is one of the reasons I'm glad that I committed to FFWD as it is one I would never have wanted to try on my own - and it turned out to be something I would love to make again.

For dessert we had Raquel’s Sticky Toffee Cake from American Masala by Suvir Saran and Raquel Pelzel. It was almost identical to my very favorite dessert of all time anywhere which is Date Pudding with Dark Rum Caramel Sauce & Whipped Cream at the River Tavern in Chester, CT. For years I have tried to make this at home with no luck - until yesterday! What a great day :)

My husband got carried away with the ice cream and whipped cream “garnish” before he realized I wanted to take a picture...anyway, this dessert doesn’t look like much (even at the restaurant) but it is over-the-top fantastic. The crowning glory is the sticky-chewy-baked-on “crust” that forms on the top of the cake during the last 5 minutes of baking.