Sticky Date Pudding with Salted Butter-Rum Sauce
Sticky date pudding is the quintessential pub dessert. Dark, rich and impossibly moist, it’s the kind of comfort food that always seems to appear on a menu in winter — usually drowning in butterscotch sauce and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s almost too sweet but that’s always been it’s charm.
The secret to a good sticky date pudding is simple: lots of dates, plenty of butter, and a sauce that soaks into the pudding while it’s still warm. The dates are softened in boiling water and bicarbonate of soda, which helps break them down and gives the pudding its signature sticky texture.
This version makes individual puddings (perfect for serving), but you can also bake it as a single pudding if you prefer.
The salted butter-rum sauce is rich and slightly boozy, with just enough salt to balance the sweetness.
Sticky Date Pudding
Serves 6–8
Ingredients
Pudding
260 g pitted dates, roughly chopped
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water
¾ cup brown sugar
100 g unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, room temperature
1½ cups self-raising flour
Salted Butter-Rum Sauce
1 cup brown sugar
300 ml thickened cream
80 g butter
1 shot dark rum
Pinch sea salt flakes
Method
Prepare the dates
Place the chopped dates and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Pour over the boiling water and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for about 10 minutes, allowing the dates to soften and break down.
Mash lightly with a fork until the mixture is thick and jammy.
Make the pudding batter
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and butter your moulds or muffin tray.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Fold in the self-raising flour, then gently stir through the softened date mixture until just combined. The batter will be quite thick.
Bake
Spoon the batter into six well-buttered pudding moulds or large muffin cups.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
If baking as one large pudding, bake for 30–35 minutes.
Salted Butter-Rum Sauce
While the puddings bake, make the sauce.
Place the brown sugar, cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Remove from heat and stir through the rum and a pinch of sea salt flakes.
To Serve
While the puddings are still warm, prick them several times with a skewer and spoon over some of the sauce so it soaks into the pudding.
Serve with extra sauce and vanilla ice cream.
Tips
Room temperature eggs help the batter mix more evenly.
The date mixture may look a little unusual, but it’s what gives sticky date pudding its signature texture.
If making ahead, warm the puddings briefly in the microwave before serving and reheat the sauce gently on the stove.
