Quick & easy Sticky Date Puddings with Caramel Sauce = the BEST comfort food dessert! These are sure to become a family favourite after just one bite...
Ok I have a confession. I am well and truly in the midst of a massive winter dessert marathon right now. I'm blaming the rain and the wind for my constant craving of piping hot desserts smothered in ice-cream (yes chocolate self-saucing pudding and apple crumble, I'm talking about you two). Is anybody else feeling the same way?
Well these easy sticky date puddings with caramel sauce are the perfect fix. Like a bazillion times over. Man they're good.
I'd been having the biggest craving for sticky date pud for weeks and just knew that these little babies had to happen. And soon!
Now if you haven't had sticky date pudding before (say WHAT!!??), then just imagine the most deliciously moist date pudding smothered in sweet, sweet caramel sauce. And then, to top it all off, a big scoop of ice-cream. Absolute bliss I tell you.
You can make these easy sticky date puddings with caramel sauce as little mini ones (like I've done here), or you can whack all of the pudding mixture together and bake it as one big pudding. Either way, it's going to taste great! Just make sure you increase the cooking time if you do it as a big pudding.
I made my puddings in pretty big ramekins (each was enough to feed 2 people... because sharing is caring) and it made 6 puddings. If you used mini ramekins, it would make 8-10, or if you use a muffin tray you'll get about 12 mini puddings. Whatever you have lying around in your cupboard is fine. Seriously, don't let anything get in your way of baking these yummy puddings.
What makes these sticky date puddings so good is definitely the caramel sauce. It's the easiest thing ever to make... and you'll be eating it straight from the jar with a spoon (and yes, I know this from personal experience). Plus the hot caramel sauce will melt your ice-cream, making everything so deliciously smooched together (that's probably not the right word - but you get the idea!).
So kiss goodbye to the winter blues (damn you cold weather) and say a big fat hello to these yummy and easy sticky date puddings with caramel sauce. Yes, oozy gooey caramel sauce... the food of champions!
Easy Sticky Date Puddings with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 220 g pitted dates
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
- 1 tsp bi-carbonate soda
- 100 g butter
- 110 g (½ cup) caster sugar
- 50 g (¼ cup) brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 225 g (1 ½ cups) self-raising flour
For the sauce
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar
- 125 g (½ cup) thickened cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 g butter
- vanilla ice-cream to serve
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (170 degrees fan-forced).
- Grease 6 large ramekins (or 8-10 small ramekins) and set aside.
- Place dates, boiling water and bi-carb soda into a food processor (or Thermomix) and leave for 5 minutes.
- Add butter, caster sugar and brown sugar and process for 20 seconds or until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and repeat for a further 10 seconds.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and self-raising flour to the food processor and mix for 10-15 seconds. Scrape and repeat for a further 5 seconds.
- Divide the mixture equally between the ramekins.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the ramekins used). The mixture will spring back when cooked.
- To make the caramel sauce, place the brown sugar, thickened cream, vanilla extract and butter into a saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium heat and then reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (170 degrees fan-forced). Grease 6 large ramekins (or 8-10 small ramekins) and set aside.
- Place dates, boiling water and bi-carb soda into the TM bowl. Leave for 5 minutes.
- Add butter, caster sugar and brown sugar and mix on Speed 6, 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 10 seconds.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and self-raising flour to the bowl and mix on Speed 6, 5 seconds. Scrape and repeat for a further 5 seconds.
- Divide the mixture equally between the ramekins. Bake for 20-30 minutes (depending on the size of the ramekins used). The mixture will spring back when cooked.
- To make the caramel sauce, place the brown sugar, thickened cream, vanilla extract and butter into the TM bowl. Cook on Varoma, 10 minutes, Speed 3 (with the MC off).
Nutrition
Suz
Hi Lucy
Can I make these ahead of time on the day and put them in the fridge until I’m ready to bake them?? And also pre-make the sauce and then reheat before serving?? Will that still work??
Lucy
Hi Suz, when I've made them ahead of time, I've actually cooked them and then reheated them when I need them and poured over the sauce. So yes definitely make them the day before if you like, but I'd recommend cooking them and then just reheating on a low temperature when you're ready to serve them. xx
Natalie Pye
Hi when cooking it as one pudding how long should it be in the oven for
Thanks
Lucy Mathieson
Hi Natalie, this is the recipe you need (the same but as a whole pudding): https://bakeplaysmile.com/sticky-date-pudding-with-caramel-sauce/
Steph
I had a last minute dinner party last night, and whipped these up as a dessert. Ohh wow! They are amazing, and so quick and easy to make. Thank you for sharing your recipe, I will be making them again!
Lucy Mathieson
Fantastic!!!! xx
ZARNAH
Hi Lucy,
These look delicious, I cannot wait to make.
Can I double the mix? To make a big batch, I need to make about 60 muffin sizes. xx
Lucy Mathieson
Absolutely!!!!
Rachel Shuttleworth
I was thinking of doing these for a dinner party of 12. If I made ahead and froze which is the best way to reheat... could I defrost the day of then reheat on a low oven setting? Cheers
Lucy Mathieson
Hi Rachel, I would make the sticky date puddings and freeze them and then make the caramel sauce on the day. To reheat the puddings, you could simply allow them to defrost then microwave until warm. xx