Teresa Cutter's Sticky Date Pudding & Salted Caramel Sauce

"Sticky Date Pudding has always been one of those desserts I find impossible to resist. There's something incredibly comforting about a warm slice fresh from the oven, drenched in caramel sauce and enjoyed with a generous dollop of yoghurt or ice cream. It's the kind of dessert that instantly makes a house feel like home.

I love that this pudding is naturally gluten-free when made with almond meal. The almond meal gives it a wonderfully soft, tender crumb while adding protein and healthy fats. If you don't have almond meal on hand, you can easily substitute it with oat flour or wholemeal spelt flour, making this one of those wonderfully adaptable recipes that seems to work beautifully every time."

— Teresa Cutter @teresacutterchef

 

 

STICKY DATE PUDDING & SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Serves: 14

Cook time: 1 hour

 

INGREDIENTS

STICKY DATE PUDDING

2 pears, cored, quartered and thinly sliced

300 g pitted dates

250 ml boiling water

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

60 ml light-flavoured olive oil or melted butter

2 large organic eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

200 g almond meal (almond flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon sea salt

 

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

60 ml pure maple syrup or 2–3 tablespoons coconut sugar

250 ml coconut milk or coconut cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon flaked sea salt

Cornflour slurry (optional, for thickening)

TO SERVE

Salted caramel sauce

Greek yoghurt, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

 

 

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 160°C fan forced. Lightly grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Arrange the sliced pears over the base of the tin in an even layer and set aside.

Place the dates and boiling water into a medium saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until the dates are soft and beginning to break down.

Remove from the heat and stir through the bicarbonate of soda. The mixture will foam slightly. Add the olive oil or melted butter and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes.

Stir through the vanilla extract, then whisk in the eggs until combined.

Add the almond meal, baking powder, ginger and sea salt. Mix until a smooth batter forms.

Pour the batter over the pears and gently smooth the surface.

Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If needed, loosely cover with foil during the final part of baking to prevent over-browning.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto the lid of your Large Styleware Nesting Bowl so the caramelised pears sit on top.

 

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

Combine the maple syrup, coconut milk, vanilla extract and sea salt in a small saucepan.

Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

For a thicker, more traditional caramel-style sauce, whisk in a small cornflour slurry and simmer for a further minute until glossy and silky.

Serve warm.

 

TO SERVE

Serve warm with plenty of salted caramel sauce and a generous dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Styled in our Blush Nesting Bowls by Teresa. For the full macros and more of Teresa's nourishing recipes, visit Teresa Cutter Chef.

 

NOTES AND INSPIRATION

Almond meal creates a beautifully moist, naturally gluten-free pudding. For a nut-free version, replace the almond meal with 150 g oat flour or spelt flour. Medjool dates will give a richer caramel flavour, but any soft pitted dates work well.

This pudding keeps beautifully for 3–4 days and is delicious reheated. Leftover salted caramel sauce is wonderful drizzled over porridge, pancakes, baked apples or yoghurt.

Make it extra special by scattering over toasted pecans or walnuts before serving, or finishing with a little extra sea salt for a delicious sweet-and-salty contrast.

 

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