Double Chocolate Sticky Date Pudding Is Pure Holiday Magic
Every week, we spotlight a different food blogger who’s shaking up the blogosphere with tempting recipes and knockout photography. Below, Sonali Ghosh of Sugar et al. whips up a rich holiday dessert, jam-packed with dates, chocolate, and walnuts.
Photo: Sonali Ghosh
By Sonali Ghosh of Sugar et al.
The only thing better than a sticky date pudding is a sticky date pudding with a double dose of chocolate. This dessert is a gorgeous thing to share with friends and family, especially when comfort and pleasure override any kind of calorie-induced guilt.
Frankly, there is no major innovation in this, but you’ll love to eat and share it. The pudding holds its shape beautifully, almost like a cake. It is very gooey inside, however, and the center might sink a bit. This isn’t a problem — the indent perfectly catches the chocolate sauce poured atop it.
Double Chocolate Sticky Date Pudding
Serves 8
For the pudding:
1 cup (180 grams) dates, pitted and roughly chopped
1 ¼ cups (310 milliliters) water
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup dark chocolate chips, plus more to garnish
¼ cup toasted walnuts, plus more to garnish
1 cup (150 grams) self-rising flour
½ stick (60 grams) butter, softened and chopped
¾ cup (165 grams) firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
For the dark chocolate sauce:
1 cup (100 grams) dark chocolate, chopped
½ cup half-and-half
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Make the pudding: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 7-inch round cake pan and line its base with baking paper. Place dates and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and add baking soda, stirring until dates start to break down. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
Place the chocolate chips, walnuts, and flour together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar using a hand beater, gradually adding eggs one at a time while beating until light and fluffy. Add date mixture and stir to combine. Carefully fold in flour and chocolate chip mixture, then pour into prepared cake pan.
Place cake pan in a deep baking pan. Carefully pour water into the baking pan until it comes up 1/3 of the way up the sides of the cake pan. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the pudding’s center comes out clean. Leave in pan for 10 minutes to cool.
Make the dark chocolate sauce: Combine chocolate, half-and-half, and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Once pudding is cooled, carefully turn out onto a serving plate or tray. Serve warm with chocolate sauce, extra chocolate chips and toasted walnuts.
More delectable holiday desserts:
Homemade Espresso Caramel Turtles Are the Best Last-Minute Gift
Fruit & Nut Christmas Cookies (They’re Gluten-Free, Too)
