Sticky Date Pudding Recipe

In this week’s post, local chef and guest Blogger, Grant Dicker is feeling the need for comfort puds… Check out his recipe for sticky date pudding! Take it away, Grant…

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Around about this time of year, I start to feel the need for pudding. The nights are cooler, the darkness creeps in to the end of the work day, and it’s easy to crave comfort food. Sticky Date Pudding is, without doubt, the most comfortable of foods! It was all the rage in the fanciest of restaurants when I began my career as a chef in the mid-90s. Some people call it old-fashioned, I call it delicious!

Let’s face facts, there are many great puddings that have slipped into oblivion over the years. Proper apple strudel with pulled dough (not puffed pastry), fruit sponges; many of these classics deserve to be resuscitated and brought back into the dining room!

Good puddings like this sticky date pudding deserve an equally good cream or ice cream. How about some whipped Wangapeka cream? Or for a truly magical combination, pair it with some delicious Appleby Farms ice-cream and sit back and enjoy the sticky sweetness.

Sticky Date Pudding

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 450 ml water
• 275g dried pitted dates
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 100g butter, room temperature
• 275g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 275g self raising flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the sauce

• 160g caster sugar
• 250 ml cream
• 200g butter

Method:

Preparation: 15 minutes – Cooking time: 40 minutes – Ready in: 55 minutes

1. In a medium saucepan bring water and dates to the boil. Mix in the bicarbonate of soda. Let cool (careful the mixture will rise).
2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour. Add the date mixture and the vanilla, and mix well. Pour into a large, rectangular, ceramic baking dish. Bake in the oven for around 40 mimutes.
3. To make the sauce put the caster sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Mix until well combined and smooth. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
4. Scoop out generous portions and serve in large bowls.
5. Pour the sauce over the pudding when plated and add a scoop of ice cream if you desire!