My Gluten-Free Sticky Date Puddings are an easy dessert and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Also known as Sticky Toffee Pudding, this rich, luxurious dessert is pure comfort food at its best! We top sweet date sponges with salted toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream. You will love the juxtaposition of hot against cold!
170g(1 cup + 1 tbsp) gluten-free self-raising flourSee Notes 6 and 7
⅛teaspooncoarse kitchen salt
For the Sauce:
200g(1 cup) light brown sugar
100ml(⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) heavy/whipping creamSee Note 8
1teaspoonvanilla extract
125g(½ cup) unsalted butter
½teaspoonsea salt flakes (optional)
Instructions
For the Puddings:
Prepare a 12-hole (⅓ cup) muffin tin by lining it with cupcake/muffin paper liners.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (355 F).
Add the chopped dates, bicarb/baking soda, ground ginger and cinnamon to a small saucepan, add water, bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Put the mixture in a bowl and set it aside to cool for about 20 minutes.
Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a food processor and whiz to combine well. Add the date mixture and remaining pudding ingredients to the bowl of the processor and whiz until they are just combined. Whilst combining the ingredients, scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary.
Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, evenly distribute the pudding mixture between the 12 muffin cups. Fill them about ⅔ full – See Note 9.
Place into the preheated oven and bake 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Remove the tray from the oven and set it aside for the puddings to cool for about 5 minutes, then carefully remove the puddings.
Remove their wrappers and place the puddings upside down on a serving plate. Pour over some sauce and serve with cream or vanilla ice cream. Serve any remaining sauce separately.
For the Sauce:
Add the brown sugar, cream, vanilla extract and butter to a small saucepan. Over medium heat, stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Be careful when stirring the hot sauce. Add salt flakes if using, or sprinkle some on as you are serving.
The Toffee Sauce will thicken as it cools. If making in advance, reheat for serving.
Video
Notes
Both pitted dried dates or Medjool dates can be used in this recipe.
Bicarbonate/baking soda is a leavening agent. It is not the same as baking powder.
For the best flavour, ensure that your ground ginger and cinnamon are fresh as the flavour of ground spices becomes dull over time.
I use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt. If you have salted butter, just omit the additional salt in the pudding recipe.
Use vanilla which is naturally extracted from the bean and avoid those which are artificially flavoured.
Our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. If your flour blend already contains either of these gums, there is no need to add more. If you do not require the recipe to be gluten-free, you can use regular flour.
In Australia, the tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. Please adjust your measurement if necessary.
Whipping cream – Also known as thickened cream or heavy cream, it has a milk fat content of at least 35%.
I used a medium-size ice cream scoop, 45 ml or 1.5 ounces.
The puddings and the sauce can be stored in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 4 days. If you wish to keep them longer, wrap the puddings in cling wrap, then place in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to three months. Store the sauce in an airtight container and freeze for the same length of time. Be sure to label and date the containers as frozen foods can be difficult to identify.