A PROPER STICK-TO-YER-RIBS PUDDING!

This is a perfect winter pudding recipe: something that’ll warm you up from the inside – as my nan used to say. It’s dark and rich and squidgy and sweet; everything a pudding should be! I’ve served it here with Rum Butterscotch sauce, but you can always go traditional and serve it with some thick custard. Or, even better, serve it with both!

NOTES: Here’s a link to an amazingly easy recipe for any leftover pudding.

RECIPE:

MAKES: I used a 25cm x 15cm dish, which gave me 8 portions.

INGREDIENTS:

• 160g PITTED DATES, chopped
• 220g WATER, boiled
• 40g BUTTER, softened
• 110g BROWN SUGAR
• 2 small EGGS
• 30g BLACK TREACLE
• 20g GOLDEN SYRUP
• 1 tsp. VANILLA EXTRACT
• Pinch SALT
• 200g FLOUR
• 1.5 tsp. BAKING POWDER
• 1 tsp. GROUND GINGER
• 1 tbsp. BICARBONATE OF SODA

For the Butterscotch Sauce:

• 50g BUTTER
• 75g DARK BROWN SUGAR
• 75g GOLDEN SUGAR
• ½ tsp. SALT
• 100g CREAM
• ½ tsp. VANILLA EXTRACT
• 30ml SPICED RUM (optional)

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180c. Cover the PITTED DATES in the BOILED WATER and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the BUTTER and BROWN SUGAR until creamy. Keep whisking, and add the EGGS, one at a time. Then whisk in the BLACK TREACLE, GOLDEN SYRUP, VANILLA EXTRACT and SALT until just combined.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the FLOUR, BAKING POWDER and GROUND GINGER so that everything is evenly distributed. Then fold these dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
4. Put the DATES (and WATER – although it should have mostly been absorbed) into a blender and blitz to a smooth paste. Take out and stir in the BICARBONATE OF SODA, then stir into the batter.
5. Pour this mixture into a greased dish. Bake for 40 minutes in the centre of the oven. You may need to loosely drape a sheet of baking paper over it after 30 minutes to prevent the top from catching.
6. Make the Butterscotch Sauce: In a saucepan, melt the BUTTER over a medium heat. Add the DARK BROWN SUGAR, GOLDEN SUGAR and SALT, and whisk together. Then, add the CREAM and SPICED RUM (if using). Keep whisking, and cook for between 1 and 5 minutes. The longer you cook it, the thicker the cooled result will be. For a pouring consistency, 1-2 minutes is fine. Take off the heat and stir in the VANILLA EXTRACT.