White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pudding with Butterscotch Rum Sauce

It's February 27th today, which means that Friday is the 29th (leap day!). Not that I don't enjoy having a extra day every four years, but the real significance of this is that it will bring our February to an end. And March is a whole different thing.

This week marks the end of our fourth month and also the retirement of our second Dessert Tasting Platter. When I first mentioned this (our signature) concept, I vowed that the platter would change every eight weeks to reflect seasonal ingredients and flavors (see our first and second platter line-ups here: Fall Collection, Winter Collection). And with the end of the month quickly approaching, it's time to tease your taste buds with what's coming up.

While each part of the collection seems to find a fan-base, this little gem may turn out to be the all-star of this next platter. White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pudding with Butterscotch Rum Sauce pretty much sums up everything a dessert should be. A little salty, a little smoky (two of my favorite things), it consists of a light and airy white chocolate pudding flanked with toasted macadamia nuts above and below. It's capped with a generous portion of a butterscotch rum sauce made from both burnt caramel and dark muscavado sugar. While in the cafe whipping up this cocoa-concoction, Anu and I both crumbled from our resolutions to eat just a bite. In no time at all, each of our glasses were empty. You will be able to enjoy this and the other three desserts on the platter starting this Saturday, the 1st!