This is one my my faves when going out (yes I have way too many faves). I actually havn't had one in a while, probably because it's been summer and this is more of a dessert for the cooler months of the year. Reminiscing back to the days when I'd just sit in a cafe with a friend (or the boyfriend), pot of hot tea, sharing this warm dessert oozing with caramel sauce with a great big dollop of ice cream on the side, chit chatting the night away, those were the days, life seems all too busy now. I've always had a bit of a fear about making this scrumptious dessert. I think that my mind has recognised all the different flavours and textures and pushed it aside as a "too hard" dish to make. After making it yesterday I think it's not all that hard to make at all, and what a perfect dessert to welcome the cool change in the air!
I used this recipe from the Taste website but didn't really follow the sauce recipe exactly. Also with the experience that recipes I have used tend to yield very small batches, I thought I would multiply the quantities of this recipe by 1.5 just to give me a little extra. Whoops! Luckily I didn't double everything because my bowl was already almost full to the brim.
I decided that I would use the muffin tray to make individual serves. It makes things easier and everyone gets an equal serve and it's so much easier for storage because you can just stack them up in a container. The muffin cases were used so to minimise cleaning of the trays, and it's easier to stack them.
My beautiful golden puddings!
I reduced the amount of sugar used in the sauce and added a couple of tablespoons of this (some other caramel/butterscotch recipes used this).
A couple of other recipes I've read include a tablespoon of brandy. I added a couple =D. (P.S Sarah and Jerry the alcohol cooks out so you guys would have been fine eating it).
My beautiful liquid gold!
Sticky Date pudding can not be had without a nice dollop of vanilla ice cream (this is only the Bulla variety as I didn't have time to make any =p) What's there to love about it? The caramel light and airy cakelike texture of the pudding, some pieces of soft sticky date entwined in between, the sweet gooey sauce, every spoonful of pudding needs to be accompanied with the ice cream to balance out the sweetness, put this all in your mouth... a little bit of heaven ;)
This looks divinely delicious! I love sticky date pudding so much.
ReplyDeleteHey Amy: Yes it is so yummy! And I can say this is the best I've had! Only because what I've had at cafes/restaurants have been pretty ordinary. The bar has been raised now.
ReplyDeleteHehe I agree, this is such a lovely winter dessert! I don't tend to eat it in Summer but come winter and those dates had better watch out! :P
ReplyDeleteMmmm.. I make a few batches of sticky date cakes and my family loves it. I hate the cold weather but only look forward to having the comforting food it brings..
ReplyDeleteNice mini puddings you got there!
Yum! I like how you added the golden syrup (and brandy!). The puddings rose really well, didn't they? I am definitely putting these on my list of things to bake this winter.
ReplyDeleteHey Lorraine, Being home made puddings there's an abudance of dates! Something my friend picked up on when I served it to her.
ReplyDeleteHey Phuoc, Comfort food is oh so good but oh so bad! I really have to watch myself this winter.
Hey Belle, The brandy and golden syrup really made the sauce! And I was definately happy with how they rose too! Will definately be making these again, we have a long cold few months ahead.