TOFFEE DATE PUDDINGS
Ready in 45 mins Serves 10
200g dates, chopped 60g butter 1¼ cups boiling water 190g (½ a can) caramel condensed milk ¼ cup golden syrup ½ tsp baking soda 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked 1 tsp vanilla extract 1½ cups self-raising flour ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ cup crystallised ginger, finely chopped 1 recipe butterscotch sauce (see below) or storebought caramel sauce Creme fraiche, pouring cream or vanilla icecream, to serve (optional) Preheat oven to 180C fanbake and grease 10 Texas muffin pans. For easy removal, place a long strip of baking paper in each muffin pan with the ends overhanging. Combine dates, butter and boiling water in a large heatproof bowl or jug and stir to melt butter. Stir in caramel condensed milk, golden syrup and baking soda until evenly combined. Cool for 10 minutes, then stir in eggs and vanilla to evenly combine. Gently sift in flour and ground ginger, folding to combine. Don’t over-mix. Stir in crystallised ginger, then divide between prepared muffin pans and bake until puddings are risen and set and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (about 20 minutes). Turn out and serve with hot butterscotch sauce and a little creme fraiche, cream or vanilla icecream, if desired.
Butterscotch sauce
In a small pot, heat together a ½ can of caramel condensed milk, ¼ cup water, 2 Tbsp golden syrup, 1 tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is glossy and smooth (2-3 minutes). Whizz with a hand wand if needed to smooth out any fine lumps. This sauce can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for several weeks. Reheat to serve. Makes ¾ cup.
Annabel says:
This pudding is one of those easy melt-and-mix-in-a-pot recipe. Once cooked they can be frozen, then thawed and gently heated in the microwave for 2 minutes or in a 180C oven for 10 minutes before serving. Take care to measure the baking soda carefully, as if you add too much the puddings will taste unpleasantly of soda.