Deliciously easy sticky date pudding

Sticky date pudding with ice cream

Tianna Nadalin

Posted June 22, 2021


Nothing beats a classic. And this superbly simple sticky date pudding is sure to impress. 

Sticky date pudding has to be one of the all-time dessert heroes. And this sweet, toffee-laced treat from RACV Cape Shanck's executive pastry chef Shannon Thirumal is sure to tempt your tastebuds. Loaded with fresh dates and drizzled with salted toffee sauce, it's the stuff of which after-dinner dreams are made. 


Deliciously easy sticky date puddings

Makes

12 individual puddings

Time

1 hour

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

Pudding

  • 180 g dates
  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • 280 g boiling water
  • 100 g butter
  • 180 g sugar
  • 2 small eggs
  • 185 g plain flour 
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

To serve

  • Ice cream or custard
  • Crushed pecans, lightly toasted (optional)

Toffee sauce

  • 400 ml heavy cream
  • 120 ml milk
  • 80 g brown sugar
  • 40 g butter
  • ½ tsp salt

 

Method

Pudding

  1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C.
  2. Grease pudding moulds or cake tin with butter.
  3. Soak the dates with the water and bicarb for 30 min.
  4. Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl.
  5. Add in 1 egg at a time and beat until incorporated.
  6. Add the flour and baking powder, followed by the dates and all their liquid, and the vanilla essence.
  7. Pour into moulds. If making individual puddings, use a dariole mould or a muffin tin. Fill to about 3/4.
  8. Steam bake for 10-12 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
  9. When you remove from the oven, using a skewer or toothpick, prick a few holes in the tops of the puddings and pour over some of the sauce (about a teaspoon per pudding). Allow to soak in. 

Toffee sauce

  1. Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a low boil, stirring continuously until sugar dissolves.
  2. Turn heat to low and simmer until sauce has reduced by half. 
  3. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and warm before use.

To serve

  1. Flip puddings out of their molds.
  2. Drizzle with warm toffee sauce.
  3. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or custard and a handful of crushed pecans Notes:(optional)

Notes:

  • If you'd prefer to bake this as a single sticky date pudding, pour the batter into a regular cake pan and cook for an extra 15 minutes.
  • This is also known as a water bath. Put the moulds (or cake tin) into a baking pan large enough to hold them, then pour a couple of inches of hot water into the pan. If you're using a springform cake tin, be sure to wrap in foil before submerging in the water bath.