INGREDIENTS
Puddings
225 g medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 tsp bi-carb soda
310 ml (1 ¼ cups) hot water, freshly boiled
1 egg
150 g (¾ cup) raw caster sugar
2 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
185 g (1 ¼ cup) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt flakes
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground clove
2 firm pears, thinly sliced
Cognac spiked caramel sauce
70 g salted butter
330 g (1 ½ cups) brown sugar
300 ml cream
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or extract
1 tsp salt flakes
60 ml (¼ cup) Cognac
To serve
Crème fraiche or fresh cream
METHOD
Puddings
1. Place the pitted dates into a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add the bi-carb soda and boiled water. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the dates have softened.
3. Meanwhile, place the egg, raw caster sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and whisk until light and fluffy.
4. Mash the dates with a fork.
5. Fold the date mixture into the sugar and egg mixture.
6. Add the flour, baking powder, salt flakes, allspice and clove into the date mixture and gently fold to combine.
7. Lightly grease 6 pudding moulds.
8. Add 3-4 slices of pear to the bottom of each mould.
9. Divide the date batter between each of the moulds.
10. Place in the steam oven and Steam at 100°C for 25 minutes.
11. Remove from the steam oven and set aside for 5 minutes.
Cognac spiked caramel sauce
1. In a heavy based saucepan, add the butter, brown sugar, cream and vanilla.
2. Stir on medium heat, induction setting 6 until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
3. Allow to simmer on low heat, induction setting 4, for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
4. Remove from the heat and add the Cognac and salt.
To serve
1. Serve warm puddings with Cognac spiked caramel sauce and some crème fraîche or fresh cream.
Hints and tips
• Whisky or brandy can be used instead of Cognac, or you can leave the alcohol out of the caramel sauce.
• Use a small knife or spatula to loosen the edges before inverting the puddings onto serving plates.
APPLIANCE / FUNCTION
Ashley Alexander
Australian foodie, recipe developer and stylist Ashley Alexander is a self-taught cook who spent a lot of her early years in the kitchen cooking up a storm with her mum, tasting, learning and experimenting. Now living in Melbourne, Ashley has followed her childhood passion, launching Gather and Feast, a website full of beautiful food and delicious recipes. “Gather and Feast brings together two very important concepts for me – people and food. I wanted to bring them together in a welcoming, all-encompassing and delicious way,” Ashley said.
