INGREDIENTS
Sticky date and spiced pear 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
60 ml (¼ cup) Cognac
1 tsp salt flakes
To serve
Crème fraiche or fresh cream
Miele accessories
METHOD
Sticky date and spiced pear puddings
- Place the pitted dates into a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the bi-carb soda and boiled water. Set aside for 5 minutes, or until the dates have softened.
- Meanwhile, place the egg, raw caster sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl, and whisk until light and fluffy.
- Mash the dates with a fork.
- Fold the date mixture into the sugar and egg mixture.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt flakes, allspice and clove into the date mixture and gently fold to combine.
- Lightly grease 6 pudding moulds.
- Add 3-4 slices of pear to the bottom of each mould.
- Divide the date batter between each of the moulds.
- Place the moulds into a perforated steam container and into the steam oven. Steam at 100°C for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the steam oven and set aside for 5 minutes.
Cognac spiked caramel sauce
- In a heavy based saucepan, add the butter, brown sugar, cream and vanilla.
- Stir on medium heat, induction setting 6 until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- Allow to simmer on low heat, induction setting 4, for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and add the Cognac and salt.
To serve
- 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.
