Sticky Date Pudding

Sticky date pudding served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

I've always liked Sticky date pudding and finally came across a recipe that I wanted to try on The Little Teochew.  Check out her page for more photos, details and tips for this recipe.  Besides raiding my mum's recipe book, my mother-in- law's and my sis-in-law, C's recipes,  her page is one of my go to pages when I am looking for new simple and easy to do chinese recipes that remind me of home.

Anyways,  I stored away the recipe till I started seeing dates in the supermarket and promptly bought a pack.    Luckily dates keep rather well in the fridge and after a few weeks, I finally got down to making the sticky date pudding.

I think it turned out rather well considering what I've tasted before. The Little Teochew reduced the sugar in the pudding (thank goodness) but I still thought it was a bit too sweet for my taste so I may try to reduce it further the next round.  D thought it tasted more like a very sweet, moist muffin - not quite to his liking but hey to each their own.



Sticky Date Pudding                       
270g (1 1/2 cups) deseeded dried dates 
312ml (1 1/4 cups) water
1 Tsp bicarbonate of soda
60g (1/4 cup) butter, roughly chopped
2 large eggs
1 Tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
188g (1 1/4 cups) self-raising flour ( I used 1 1/4 cup of all purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt)
100g brown sugar 

1. Place dates and water in a small saucepan over high heat.  When the mixture starts to boil, add bicarbonate of soda and butter and remove from heat.  Stir then set aside for 25min. 
2. Preheat over to 350F.  Adjust oven rack to the lower half of the over rack so that the top of the pudding will be in the centre of the oven.
3. Use hand blender and pulse mixture a couple of times to form a chunky paste.
4. Add eggs and vanilla to mixture and pulse till just combined.
5. In a medium bowl. stir flour and brown sugar together.  Pour date mixture into flour mixture and gently fold ingredients till just combined. 
6. Pour batter into muffin tin.
7. Bake 20-30min until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the pudding comes out clean. 
8. Leave it in the tin to cool till it is just warm to touch before removing to a cooling rack.

Butterscotch Sauce
185ml heavy whipping vream
165g brown sugar
150g butter, chopped 
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt 

1. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir continuously till mixture thickens.  Don't let the sugar burn.
2. Leave to cool slightly.

To serve 

Pierce pudding with a toothpick and drizzle butterscotch sauce, microwave 20 sec.  Scoop vanilla ice-cream.