Save Recipe

Sticky Date Pudding

Name: Sticky Date Pudding
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 cup pitted dates; 1 1/4 cups water; 1 tsp baking soda; 60g butter chopped; 1 packed cup soft brown sugar; 2 eggs; 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 tsp ground ginger; 2 pears cored and cut into thin sliced

This is our twist on an old favourite. It’s also one of those brilliant recipes where you don’t have to cream the butter and sugar. To create individual desserts or a lunchbox treat, cut up the pears into smaller slices or chunks and cook the mixture in muffin pans.

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Serves

Dessert

Baking

Special Occasions

Found in "Essential Volume Two: Sweet Treats for Every Occasion"

Ingredients

1 cup pitted dates

1 1/4 cups water

1 tsp baking soda

60g butter, chopped

1 packed cup soft brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground ginger

2 pears, cored and cut into thin sliced

Method

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease the sides of a 25cm cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Place dates, water and baking soda in a pot large enough to hold the entire mixture and boil for 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and mash with a potato masher to break up the dates.

Stir in chopped butter and mix until butter is melted. Mix in sugar and eggs then fold in flour, vanilla and ginger.

Arrange pear slices in a concentric circle around the base of the tin, placing a few slices in the centre. Pour batter over the top and smooth evenly to fully cover the pears.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand for at least 10 minutes before turning upside down onto a serving platter and removing the baking paper.

WICKED TOFFEE SAUCE

We like to serve this with Wicked Toffee Sauce.

Place ½ cup water in a saucepan. Add 2 cups caster sugar and place over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves and comes to the boil, swirling the pot now and then.

Boil without stirring until mixture turns a golden caramel colour – approximately 8-10 minutes.

(Do not be tempted to stir the mixture as this could cause it to crystallise. To prevent it from crystallising, you can run a wet brush around the sides of the pot, allowing the excess water to run into the sugar mixture.)

Remove from heat, add 2 cups cream and 2 tsp vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Leftover sauce can be stored in the fridge and reheated. Makes 3 cups.