Sticky date pudding with toffee sauce

ingredients

• Sticky date pudding with toffee sauce

  • 1 1/2 cup (240g) chopped dried dates
  • 1 1/4 cup (310ml) water
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 125 gram butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 cup (200g) firmly packed brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cup (185g) self-raising flour
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped pecans

• Toffee sauce

  • 375 millilitre water
  • 1 1/2 cup (330g) sugar
  • 2 tablespoon golden syrup
  • 30 gram butter
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) water, extra

method

• Sticky date pudding with toffee sauce

  • 1

    Grease a 7-cup capacity pudding steamer.

  • 2

    Combine the dates and water in a medium saucepan, bring to the boil, remove from heat; add soda, stand for 5 minutes. Blend or process date mixture until smooth.

  • 3

    Beat the butter, essence and sugar a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, stir in date mixture, sifted flour and nuts.

  • 4

    Pour mixture into prepared pudding steamer. Top with pleated baking paper and foil (to allow pudding to expand as it cooks); secure with kitchen string or lid.

  • 5

    Place pudding in a large saucepan with enough boiling water to come halfway up side of steamer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Boil for 2 hours, replenishing boiling water as necessary to maintain level. (It's a good idea to have a kettle of boiling water ready.)

  • 6

    To make toffee sauce, combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan; stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil; boil, uncovered, for about 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from heat. Carefully add the golden syrup, butter and extra water. Be careful, as sauce will bubble and splatter; stir until well combined. Cool sauce to room temperature.

  • 7

    Stand pudding for 10 minutes before turning onto a serving plate. Serve with toffee sauce and thickened cream, if desired.

  • 8

    To make individual puddings; Spoon mixture into eight 1-cup capacity ovenproof dishes. Top with pleated baking paper and foil; secure with kitchen string or an elastic band. Place puddings in a large, deep frying pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up side of dishes. Cover with a tight-fitting lid; boil for 1 hour, replenishing boiling water as necessary to maintain level. Stand puddings for 5 minutes before turning onto plates.

notes

To avoid the pan boiling dry, check it every 10 to 15 minutes. Try putting a few five-cent coins in the pan -if you can't hear the coins jiggling, the water has evaporated or stopped boiling. Pudding can be made up to one week ahead.