Happee Monkee

This is a superwinterfood – the sort that warms you up, give you a nice tummy rub and makes you go ‘HhMMmmmm’.

It’s also one of G’s favourite dessert. I decided to make it for him before he left for Japan (two whole months!). His mother used to make it, especially around the school holidays, and the family always appreciates it when she does. Noted, I have never never met a family that loves their desserts or chocolate so passionately. They are HUGE, like, MAJOR chocolate fans. Needless to say it never lasts long in the house. It’s gone before you can say ‘Mars Bar’. Which actually makes it easy for me during birthdays, Christmas and Easters.

The original sticky date pud is apparently a to-die-for but I’ve added a few extra touches. This is how it went. I was cutting up the dates as indicated in the recipe and as I stole a date for self-consumption (labour tax), I realized how well it would go with chocolate. Chocolate and dates. A further thought emerged, hmmm… and what else better to go with chocolate but bananas? So therefore I decided to marry dates with chocolate and banana.

Now, we have convinced K’s girlfriend (who is a non-banana fan) to try a small slice last night and it was a success! The taste of the banana did not overpower the dates but instead, complimented the pudding rather well. It kept the texture of the cake moist and even after a few days of storage, it didn’t dry out. It’s definitely a keeper this one and one I can contribute into a family cook book. Enjoy!

Spicy Sticky Date Pudding ( serves 8 )
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* 200g pitted dates, chopped
* 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
* 1 cup boiling water
* 100g butter, softened
* 1 cup (150g) dark soft brown sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 (180g) cups self-raising flour, sifted
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon sugar
* 1/2 tsp mixed spice
* 2 mashed banana / 1 cup
* 100g chocolate, chopped

Caramel sauce
* 1 cup (150g) soft brown sugar
* 3/4 cup light thickened cream
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 100g butter, chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a cake pan .
2. Place dates and bicarbonate soda into a bowl. Pour over boiling water. Allow to stand for 20 minutes.
3. Add butter, sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Fold through date mixture, banana, chocolate and flour until well combined.
6. Spoon mixture into prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn onto a plate.

Toffee Sauce
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until sauce starts to boil, lower heat to low and stir and simmer for five minutes. Set aside until ready to serve, then quickly reheat when needed.

How to serve:
Traditionally the sauce was poured over the cake and returned to the oven for the last five minutes of baking to get really sticky.

Or, you can pierce pudding all over with a skewer. Pour 1/2 cup of warm sauce over warm pudding. Stand for 10 minutes. Cut into wedges. Serve with remaining sauce.

Alternatively you can pour hot toffee sauce over each slice and serve with fresh cream.

Try This:
Serve with a sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts or walnuts, cream or ice cream