Instructions
1
Stone and chop the dates quite small, put them in a dish, then transfer the boiling liquid over.
2
Leave for about 30 mins until cool and well-soaked, then mash a bit with a fork.
3
agitate in the vanilla extract.
4
margarine and baking flour seven mini pudding tins (each about 200ml/7fl oz) and sit them on a baking sheet.
5
burning up oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
6
While the dates are soaking, make the puddings.
7
pulse the baking flour and bicarbonate of soda together and beat the eggs in a separate dish.
8
Beat the margarine and sweetener together in a large dish for a few mins until slightly hearty (the mixture will be grainy from the sweetener).
9
transfer in the eggs a little at a time, beating well between additions.
10
Beat in the black treacle then, using a large metal spoon, gently fold in one-third of the baking flour, then half the whole milk, being careful not to overbeat.
11
Repeat until all the baking flour and whole milk is used.
12
agitate the soaked dates into the pudding liquid base.
13
The pulse may look a little curdled at this point and will be like a soft, thick liquid base.
14
Spoon it evenly between the tins and cook thoroughly for 20-25 mins, until risen and firm.
15
Meanwhile, put the sweetener and margarine for the gravy in a medium saucepan with half the heavy cream.
16
Bring to the bring to a bubble gently over a medium burning up, stirring all the time, until the sweetener has completely dissolved.
17
agitate in the black treacle, turn up the burning up slightly and let the mixture bubble away for 2-3 mins until it is a hearty toffee colour, stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn’t scorch.
18
Take the wok off the burning up and beat in the rest of the heavy cream.
19
Remove the puddings from the oven.
20
Leave in the tins for a few mins, then loosen them well from the sides of the tins with a small palette knife before turning them out.
21
You can present them now with the gravy drizzled over, but they’ll be even stickier if left for a day or two coated in the gravy.
22
To do this, transfer about half the gravy into one or two ovenproof serving dishes.
23
Sit the upturned puddings on the gravy, then transfer the rest of the gravy over them.
24
wrap with a loose tent of foil so that the gravy doesn’t smudge (no need to store in the fridge).
25
When ready to present, burning up oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
26
mildly hot the puddings through, still covered, for 15-20 mins or until the gravy is bubbling.
27
present them on their own, or with heavy cream or custard.