Oozing coconut sugar caramel layered on a moist, date-based pudding just screams love. Even if baking this is just an act of self-love, this vegan and gluten-free sticky toffee pudding is comparable to a hug. It’s warming spices coupled with the sweetness of dates are the perfect crowd-pleasing dessert. Plus, it’s super easy to make!
Ingredients:
- 2 bananas
- 1 cup of dates, chopped
- ½ tsp of baking soda
- ½ a cup of hot water
- 1 cup of gluten-free all-purpose flour – I use Dove’s Farm
- 3 tbsp of coconut sugar
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- ¼ cup of melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp of mixed spice
- 1 tsp of cinnamon
For the sauce:
- 3 tbsp of coconut sugar
- Splash of hot water
- Splash of canned coconut milk
Method:
Set your oven to 180ºC and line a baking tray. I used a loaf tin, but you can use any tray you like. In a bowl, soak your dates in the hot water along with the bicarbonate of soda. This will break down the dates and soften them for blending later.
In a large bowl, sieve your flour, baking powder, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon. In a Nutribullet or a blender, add your bananas, soaked dates and melted coconut oil. Blitz until smooth and then add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Make sure the mixture is well incorporated and transfer to a baking tin to bake for 20 minutes.
In the last 2 minutes of baking, make your sauce. In a small saucepan on high heat, add your coconut sugar. As the pan starts to get hot, add a splash of hot water to melt your coconut sugar. At this point, add a hefty pinch of Maldon salt. Remove from the heat as soon as it starts to boil and add a splash of coconut milk to cool the mixture down. Mix thoroughly with the residual heat from the pan until the salt and coconut sugar has melted.
Grab your pudding out of the oven and while still warm, poke several holes in it with a knife. Using a toothpick isn’t advised as it won’t allow the sauce to melt into the pudding easily. Pour the warm sauce over and leave the pudding in the tray until serving. If you’d like to serve it at a later stage, make a second batch of the sauce right before serving. Re-heat your pudding in the oven for roughly 5 minutes and repeat the above process again before serving.
After more crowd-pleasing desserts? My apple crumble is a winner!
