T’is the Indian festival of lights & abundance of all things sweet, so here is a dessert that was the absolute rage in the early 2000s and is unlikely to ever lose its allure … while this absolutely fabulous recipe isn’t my creation, other than one slight alteration, my real contribution is to not only share it with you but also demonstrate how to turn a casual one dish pudding into a smart individual plated dessert.
First & foremost, gather the ingredients (IMAGE 1) and then proceed to make the toffee sauce.
Toffee Sauce
YIELD: 4 portions
- 86 grams unsalted butter
- 86 grams ordinary salted Amul butter
- 113 grams caster sugar
- 60 grams soft brown sugar (I use the imported one, brand ‘Fairtrade’, which I buy from Defence Store, 38 Defence Colony, Main Market, New Delhi 110024)
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons double cream
Simply chop up your butter and then place all the ingredients in a pot over low heat (STEPS 1 to 3). Once the butter has melted bring the mixture to a boil and boil for two minutes until thickened slightly (STEPS 4 to 6). Set aside and proceed to the making of the pudding.
Date Pudding (6 covers)
- 175 grams pitted dates (any brand you like)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 & ¼ cup boiling water
- 50 grams room temperature unsalted butter
- 80 grams soft brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 175 grams flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
First, pre-heat the oven to 180c (bottom heating convection setting) and place the baking tray on the second shelf from the bottom. Then lightly butter the dariole moulds (STEPS 1 & 2); I have used the non-stick carbon steel variety, 2.5 inch height x 2.7inch diameter; 173ml volume. Set aside and then chop up the dates (STEPS 3 & 4),add the baking soda (STEPS 5 & 6), and then the boiling water and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes (STEPS 7 & 8).
Then put the date mix into a blender and pulse into a puree (STEPS 9 & 10). Next cream together the butter and brown sugar using an egg beater (STEP 11). Then add the eggs one at a time, and beat (STEP 12), then the baking powder (STEP 13), then the flour (STEPS 14, 15 & 16) and finally fold in the date puree using a wooden spoon (STEPS 17 to 19).
Next, put one tablespoon of the toffee sauce into each dariole (STEPS 20 & 21), and place them in the freezer for 2 minutes (STEP 22). Take out and fill each dariole mould up to the half way point (STEP 23) and then place in the oven for exactly 20 minutes (STEPS 24 & 25 – I am showing you how do ¾ advance preparation and then finish before serving).
Remove at the end of 20 minutes and let them cool down (STEP 26). Then run a knife around the edges (STEP 27), turn over and let them slide out (STEPS 28 & 29), and then turn over again and place on a plate (STEP 30).
Before serving, preheat the oven again to 180°C (bottom heating convection setting), place the oven tray on the middle shelf of the oven (i.e. half way from top and bottom), place the puddings in a baking dish and into the oven for 10 minutes (STEP 31). Then take out, turn on the top grill of the oven, prick each pudding with a long bamboo stick (STEP 32), pour the toffee sauce on top and over (STEPS 33 & 34) and place back in the oven for 2 minutes (STEP 35).
In the meanwhile, re-heat the remaining toffee sauce and pour into shot glasses and place on the serving plate (STEP 36). Then take out the puddings and roll in the bubbling sauce inside the baking dish (STEP 37). Then lift and place on the serving plate next to the shot glass, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and abracadabra, you have made a spectacular Hot & Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce & Vanilla Ice Cream (FINAL IMAGE).
Above: Final Image