Sticky ginger puddings
This ginger pudding has levels - sticky toffee, pistachios, tamarind and a warming kick of whisky.
For this recipe you will need six 175ml/6fl oz metal mini pudding basins or dariole moulds.
Ingredients
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú pitted dates, ideally Sayer
- 2 cubes stem ginger in syrup, drained
- 2 tsp tamarind paste
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú self-raising flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 large free-range egg
- 30g/1oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 150g/5½oz soft dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pistachio nuts, roughly chopped, to decorate
For the pudding sauce
- 150ml/5fl oz double cream
- 75g/2¾oz dark or light soft brown sugar
- 40g/1½oz unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 3 tbsp stem ginger syrup (from the jar)
- 2 tsp tamarind sauce
- ½ tsp flaked sea salt
- 4 tbsp whisky
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease six 175ml/6fl oz metal mini pudding basins or dariole moulds and line the bases with circles of baking paper. Place the moulds on a baking tray.
Put the dates in a heatproof bowl and pour over 150ml/5fl oz boiling water. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a food processor. Add the stem ginger, tamarind paste and treacle and blend to a purée.
Put the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, egg, butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the puréed dates and mix until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared moulds. Bake for 20 minutes, or until well risen and firm to the touch.
For the sauce, place all of the ingredients except the whisky into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly until smooth and glossy. (Watch out for splashes and don’t be tempted to touch or taste the sauce as it will be extremely hot.) Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the whisky.
Carefully loosen the sides of each pudding using a table knife (the puddings will be hot, so wear oven gloves). Turn out onto warmed serving plates and remove the baking paper. Pour a little sauce over each one and put the remaining sauce in a jug. Decorate with chopped pistachios and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
If making in advance, take all the puddings out of the tins and place in a shallow, greased ovenproof dish. Pour over the sauce and bake at 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 for 10 minutes, or until the puddings are warmed through.