VEGAN STICKY DATE PUDDING WITH TOFFEE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS
PUDDING
200 gms Medjool Dates (seeded and chopped)
68 gms (1/2 cup) All purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
110 gms (1/2cup) Firmly packed, light brown sugar
38 gms Coconut oil, room temperature (or any flavourless oil of your choice)
150 ml Water
1/4 cup Apple sauce
30 ml Dairy-free milk of your choice
TOFFEE SAUCE
30 gms Coconut oil
55 gms (1/4 cup) Light brown sugar
120 ml Full fat coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
METHOD
PUDDING:
Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease the pudding moulds with butter or line the baking pan with parchment paper if using square or loaf pan.
Place a saucepan on stove at low flame. Add dates and water.
Allow it to simmer. Turn off the flame. Mash the date and water mixture well with a potato masher or a wooden spoon until it resembles sloppy porridge, then add in the bicarbonate of soda ( baking soda) into the pan. Mix it well.
Add vanilla extract and coconut oil into the mixture, Stir, Add in the brown sugar, mix until combined and smooth.
Leave the batter aside to cool down a bit.
Add the apple sauce. Right now the batter will look way too much liquid- that’s okay, it the way it should look.
Sift all the dry ingredients separately. Combine sifted flour, salt and baking powder in 3 potions (to avoid lumps), fold until the flour is incorporated. Be careful not to over mix the batter or else the sponge will end up heavy.
Spoon in the prepared batter into the pudding moulds, only fill 2/3 of the way up to allow room for rising.
Bake the pudding for 30- 40 minutes, or until the skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the pudding is still hot, poke holes with a toothpick on the surface of the pudding. Spoon over the butterscotch sauce on puddings and reserve some extra sauce for drizzling on top. Leave the puddings aside for 10-15 minutes.
Turn the moulds upside down on a serving plate. Serve it warm with the remaining warm sauce, dairy-free ice cream or with a dollop of vegan whipped cream (1 can coconut cream+ 3 tablespoons powdered sugar+ 1/4 tsp vanilla extract+ 3 tbsp coconut milk powder) and roasted pecans.
SAUCE:
Place all the ingredients ( coconut oil, full fat coconut milk, salt, and light brown sugar) in a saucepan over a medium heat. Using a whisk, slowly stir until the mixture comes to the boil.
Turn down heat and continue to stir for 15 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken and become a darker caramel colour. Turn off the flame, mixture will still look runny but it will continue to thicken as it cools down.
Allow it cool for at least 10 minutes before drizzling the caramel sauce over the pudding.
Serve warm.
If you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think! Leave a comment,and don’t forget to take a picture and share it on my Facebook page or tag it #letscookwithsonal on Instagram!