Winter’s most-comforting dessert, sticky date pudding, gets a better-for-you makeover and it tastes just like the original – win, win!
Ingredients
150g (1 cup) pitted dates, chopped
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250ml (1 cup) boiling water
80ml (1/3 cup) maple syrup
80ml (1/3 cup) light olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
235g (1 1/2 cups) wholemeal spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 egg, lightly whisked
Dairy-free ice-cream, to serve
Caramel sauce
270ml can coconut milk
125ml (1/2 cup) pure maple syrup
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Lightly grease a 1L (4 cup) baking dish. Combine the dates and bicarbonate of soda in a medium heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water. Stir well. Set aside, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes to soften.
Step 2
Add the maple syrup, oil and vanilla extract to the date mixture. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and ginger in a large bowl. Add the date mixture and egg. Stir to combine. Pour into the prepared dish, smoothing the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Step 3
Meanwhile, for the caramel sauce, combine the coconut milk and maple syrup in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until thickened. Serve the pudding topped with ice-cream and drizzled with caramel sauce.
