Sticky Date Pudding... Recipe
I managed to clear a swath through the Christmas debris and found my desktop - making merry is really merry messing around here! We had a wonderful Christmas - and by wonderful I mean the boy was happy with his lot...although he was not thrilled when he opened his first sport coat ever...said he'll never wear it and we should just take it back...I'm sure he'll get over it and it's not going back! The mister was happy with his lot - Santa brought him an ipod...now he'll just have to wait until the boy can show him how it works as the mister and I have surpassed the age limit on knowing how to operate any new technical stuff. Santa was very good to me, too...he brought me a beautiful new watch! Apparently Santa thinks I have a problem being on time and that a new watch will help me...what would help me with Santa's perceived time issue is having a cattle prod for the mister's backside!
Our Christmas Day festivities ended with Sticky Date Pudding...the perfect ending to an almost perfect day (Baby Max was not here so our Christmas was not perfect...although I did get to see him open his presents on my new webcam which sort of eased the pain.) This is everything a special dessert should be...sweet, rich, gooey, with melt-in-the-mouth decadent flavor. It is, by far, the most wonderful dessert I've had this holiday season...or any season for that matter. When the Aussie stormed ashore many years ago, she was introduced to the women's organization in our church at an International Cooking Night. She taunted us with her ANZAC Biscuits and Lamingtons; had our tongues wagging with her Pavlova but when she brought out her Sticky Date Pudding she had us all in the palm of her hand - we would have done anything, gone anywhere at her very command just to have another bite! I've been making it ever since - but only on special occasions - and what could be more special than Christmas?
First, the dates are soaked in water and then while they are baking they are reduced to nothing but pure sweetness. This pudding has no lumps, no big bits of dates - they just melt into sinfulness. That would be enough right there to make one's tongue fall out but then an amazing caramel sauce is poured on top and allowed to soak in...oh my...and when served, more sauce is poured on top...this one gets 5 dangs, it's dang, dang, dang, dang, dang good and was definitely worth the coma it induced...(sorry mom, but it was Christmas! I'll be better from here on out!)
- Sticky Date Pudding - Adapted from The Aussie, Kareena Ball
- 1 cup water
- 1 carton (10 oz.) Chopped, Pitted Dates
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Sauce:
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 7x11-inch cake pan. In a small sauce-pan bring add water and dates. Bring to a boil then remove from heat and add baking soda. Mix well and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour but mix only until combined. Stir in date mixture and add vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in the center of oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until center is set and a wooden toothpick, when inserted in center, comes out clean. (While pudding/cake is baking make the sauce.)
To make the sauce: In a small saucepan over high heat, combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. When pudding is done, remove from the oven and pour a little of the sauce over the warm pudding, enough to lightly cover the top, then return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes so the sauce soaks in and bubbles to a golden brown color. Cut pudding into squares and pass the extra sauce separately. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Serves 12 (this is very rich so the servings are cut into about 2 1/2-inch squares).
My little friend Emily brought me a lovely Christmas ornament from China...feast your eyes on this:
Why yes...that IS Chairman Mao! Front and center on our Christmas tree! Little Em thought we would love this - it came in a beautiful little box and it's glass, hand-painted on the inside! Truly, you're jealous now, aren't you?! Thank you Emily - we DO love it - it's proven to be quite the conversation piece!