Recipe
Dive into this luxe sticky date pudding
Sweet story, simple method, epic caramel sauce – this is sticky date pudding done right.
By Chrissie Swan
Because of a cute mistake my son Leo made when he was little, we call this ‘Sticky Tape Pudding’. The brown sugar in the pudding is optional (truly!). I basically knock it out because the dates are sweet enough, and the caramel sauce provides all the sweetness you’d ever need. I always make this in one of those cheap lasagne dishes that I can give away to others.
And this freezes great. Make a big one. Eat half for dessert that night, then freeze the rest in big chunks, or freeze the lot! Then make the caramel sauce fresh when you reheat it. You must have vanilla ice-cream with this, and, if you’re my mum, also pouring cream.
Ingredients to make sticky date pudding
600g pitted dates
2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
750 ml (3 cups) boiling water
300 g butter, softened
115 g (½ firmly packed cup) brown sugar (optional)
4 eggs
600 g (4 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
ice-cream, to serve
CARAMEL SAUCE
150 g butter, chopped
460 g (2 firmly packed cups) brown sugar
600 ml thickened cream
How to make sticky date pudding
Place the dates and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and pour the boiling water over the top. Set aside for 30 minutes to soften. Transfer the dates and water to a food processor and blitz until you create a smooth date sludge.
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced. Using a hand mixer or an electric stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar (if using) for 3–5 minutes or until light and creamy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Transfer to a large bowl with the date sludge. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour into the date sludge until just combined. Transfer the mixture into a 35 cm x 25 cm x 7 cm baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the top springs back to the touch.
Meanwhile, to make the caramel sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and cream and whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Stab the top of the pudding all over with a skewer and pour half the caramel sauce over – it will sink into the holes and soak the cake. Serve the pudding with ice-cream, with the remaining sauce drizzled over the top.
The Shortcut Queen by Chrissie Swan, published by Plum, RRP: $44.99, photography by Mark Roper.
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