Date and Ginger Toffee Puddings
These moist individual sticky date puddings with ginger toffee sauce make an impressive dessert for your family or friends.
What do you do when you are craving for a delectable fluffy pudding or cake?
Being in the thick of a lockdown, I certainly would not make a beeline for the nearest bakery because they are all probably shut. I am a foodie to the core, so I rush to my study to browse the magazine stacks, cookbooks and anything that has some dessert recipes in it. After going through my collection of magazines and cookbooks, I get really inspired to do something sweet, something easy and something which certainly did not involve going to my supermarket. I love sticky date puddings as I was certain I had a small pack of dates which I had bought just recently. I quickly chopped the dates and collected the other ingredients from my pantry. Once the dates were chopped and the ingredients were weighed, it was a breeze. Totally easy to make and you will love making them. And oh! I am so pleased I managed to save a few from those hungry eyes for this photo shoot!
I certainly know a few school friends from my part of the world would agree that growing up in a quaint little town of Udupi with only a handful of bakeries, eating cakes from a bakery was a novelty because the kitchens back then were not equipped with ovens to make cakes at home. We had a bakery close to home where they baked breads, buns and cookies. They all made Pedhas, halwa, cashew macaroons, laddus, burfies and some buttercake loaves and mixed fruit cakes. There were no cupcakes that I remember eating, so it is possible they did not make them till the time I flew the nest. When I arrived in Mumbai, my passion for food would always lead me to cookery books and magazines which featured cakes and food on the cover. Yes, I would buy cookbooks and magazines just to see images of sumptuous cakes and cupcakes as I was living in paid accommodation and had no access to a kitchen. So, it was always on the cards that one day I would love to bake my own cakes and pastries. Mind you, becoming a Pastry Queen is not on the cards as yet anyway!!!!
Dates are a tropical stone fruit and are native to Morocco. They are an ancient icon of the Middle East for thousands of years and are a staple during Ramadan. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran are the world’s top producers of dates. They are grown in the western US State of California, the biggest producer of dates in the United States, having been brought to the region by the Spaniards in the 18th century.
There are many varieties of dates, but the best ever dates I have had are called as the King of Dates is the Mejdool variety, so called because of its size, texture, quality and taste. Coachella Valley, an irrigated agricultural area in Southern California, is the best date-growing environment in the entire United States, which is why nearly 95 percent of the nation’s crop is grown here each year.
Dates are a concentrated source of healthy nutrients and packed with natural sugars, vitamins and antioxidants that offer a powerhouse of benefits, giving you the boost of energy. They are fondly called as “Nature’s Vitamins” as they offer a significant amount of fibre and a variety of vitamins such as iron, Potassium, Vitamin B, Copper and Magnesium. Mejdool dates in particular have high level of calcium compared to other varieties however as they pack many calories, a small serving would be ideal.
In the recipe below, I have used the Trident dates that are available in my local supermarket and they come in a packet of 600g. Unfortunately, you cannot buy a smaller pack but do not panic, you will have enough dates to make these puddings twice and you can snack on the rest. If you are making these puddings, you may use caster sugar or brown sugar. I have used caster sugar for making the puddings and dark muscovado sugar for making the toffee sauce. Muscovado sugar is less refined and has pronounced caramel and toffee notes which really comes through beautifully in the sauce. You may also use brown sugar if you like, if muscovado sugar is not available, however because it is refined white sugar, it has got lower molasses content and a milder taste than muscovado sugar.
They are totally delicious served with crème fraiche, dollop cream or thickened cream. I have tried all three and my personal favourite is crème fraiche because it is slightly tangy which compliments these puddings perfectly.
So, there you have it! An indulgent treat for your family or guests at your next event that will have them around the table in quick time. Happy baking!!
Date and Ginger toffee puddings
Ingredients
For the Pudding
- 190 g pitted dates
- 1½ cup or 300mL water
- 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp. fresh ginger finely chopped
- ¾ tsp. mixed spice
- 80 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup or 130g caster sugar or brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 200 g self -raising flour, sifted
- Crème fraiche or dollop cream for serving
For the Toffee Sauce
- 100 g dark muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp. golden syrup
- ¾ cup thickened cream
Instructions
Method to make pudding
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan forced. Lightly grease the base of a 12-hole ½ cup capacity muffin pan and line with cup-cake cases or patty cake cases.
- Chop the dates and add to a medium deep saucepan with 300mL water and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, stir in the bicarbonate of soda, ginger and mixed spice and set aside for 10 minutes. The bicarbonate of soda will froth up as soon as it hits the hot mixture of dates.
- In a deep glass bowl, using hand-held electric mixer, cream together butter, sugar and one egg. Beat in the remaining egg until combined. Add the date mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the sifted flour.
- Divide the mixture equally among holes. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until skewer inserted in the pudding centres comes out clean. Leave to stand for 3 minutes before turning out on to serving plates.
- To serve, brush the top and the sides of each pudding with toffee sauce until well glazed. Best served hot drizzled with sauce and topped with a dollop of Crème fraiche or dollop cream.
Method to make the toffee sauce
- Stir all the ingredients for the toffee sauce in a pan over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, simmer for 5-7 minutes or until thickened slightly. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Notes
Hi, I’m Catherine!
I’m all about creating tasty Indian dishes with whatever’s on hand, even when I’m short on time or budget. I love turning simple ingredients into flavorful delights. Join me on this culinary adventure where we’ll explore the magic of Indian cuisine, one delicious dish at a time!
My Favourites
