Individual sticky date puddings are the dinner party dessert that makes every guest feel looked after, each with their own warm pudding under a generous pour of caramel. These bake in a standard cupcake tin in about twenty minutes, and you can make them ahead and reheat them while the mains are being cleared. The real shortcut is the sauce: instead of standing over a pot of toffee while everyone waits, you simply warm a jar of our chef-made, all-natural Vanilla Salted Caramel Sauce and pour it over each pudding at the table.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups (225g) fresh dates, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup (180ml) boiling water
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
75g unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 cup (90g) brown sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup (105g) self-raising flour
1 jar Boutique Sauces Vanilla Salted Caramel Sauce, warmed, to serve
Double cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve (optional)
Directions
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1
Heat the oven to 160C. Lightly grease a 12 hole, 1/2 cup (125ml) capacity cupcake tin.
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2
Tip the chopped dates into a bowl, sprinkle over the bicarbonate of soda and pour in the boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes so the dates soften and the liquid turns frothy. That soak is what makes the puddings sticky rather than cakey, so do not rush it.
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3
Scrape the dates and all their soaking liquid into a food processor. Add the butter and brown sugar and blitz until well combined.
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4
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and self-raising flour and pulse until just combined. Do not overwork the batter.
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5
Divide the mixture between the holes and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until a skewer poked into the centre of a pudding comes out clean.
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6
Rest the puddings in the tin for a few minutes, then ease them out with a small knife or spatula.
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7
While they rest, warm the Vanilla Salted Caramel Sauce gently in a small saucepan over low heat, or in short bursts in the microwave. Serve the puddings warm under a generous pour of sauce, with cream or ice cream if you like.
Recipe Notes
Make them ahead: bake the puddings earlier in the day or the day before, then cover with foil and reheat at 160C for 5 to 10 minutes, or give each a brief burst in the microwave. Warm the sauce just before serving. One 270ml jar of Vanilla Salted Caramel Sauce covers all 12 puddings generously.
Make this recipe
Vanilla Salted Caramel Sauce