Ingredients
250g (2 cups) pitted medjool dates, chopped relatively finely
2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
70g unsalted butter, softened
160g (3/4 cups) caster sugar
2 eggs
260g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
1 heaped teaspoon of vanilla paste
Maple butterscotch sauce
110g (1/3 cup) maple syrup
150g butter
180g (1 cup) brown sugar
250ml (1 cup) thick cream
A very generous pinch of salt.
Summary
It’s the last winter weekend and Father’s day on Sunday, so we thought it might be appropriate to whip up a sticky date pudding. This recipe is by local cooking inspiration, Clementine Day. We swapped out golden syrup for maple syrup and the result was absolutely scrumptious. Get cosy!
Maple Sticky Date Pudding
Preheat oven to 160 C (fan forced) and grease and flour a 24cm round cake or pie dish. Glass and ceramic dishes work well because you can throw the whole thing in the microwave to warm up any leftovers.
Combine chopped dates and bicarb in a small bowl. Pour over boiling water and leave for 30 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and the caster sugar. It should be much paler in colour and become a fluffy, fluffy, grainy consistency.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix well to combine between each addition.
Sift in flour, add in date mixture and vanilla and fold batter until everything is evenly combined.
Pour into dish and smooth out the top.
Cook for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester or knife comes out almost clean. There should be no batter consistency cake coming off into the knife. But if moist cooked cake gets attached, that’s fine.
Meanwhile prepare your maple butterscotch by adding the brown sugar, maple syrup and butter to a small saucepan. Stir constantly over low heat until sugar is completely dissolved and butter has been combined in nicely.
Remove from heat and stir in cream and salt until completely combined. Set aside.
When you’ve removed the pudding from the oven, create lots of little holes all over it with a skewer, chopstick or knife and evenly pour over about 1/3 of the butterscotch.
Serve warm with extra butterscotch and cream or ice cream.
Hints and Tips
This recipe was adapted from one by Clementine Day.
