Ingredients:

  • 200g Pitted Medjool Dates, finely chopped
  • 240 ml Boiling Water
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 115g Unsalted Butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
  • 150g Dark Brown Sugar, packed
  • 2 Large Eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 120 ml Pure Pumpkin Purée (not pie filling)
  • 250g All-Purpose Flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg, freshly grated
  • 115g Unsalted Butter (for sauce)
  • 180g Dark Brown Sugar, packed (for sauce)
  • 120 ml Heavy Cream (Double Cream) (for sauce)
  • 3 Tbsp Bourbon Whiskey (for sauce)
  • Pinch Sea Salt (for sauce)
  • 55g Unsalted Butter (for Anglaise)
  • 360 ml Whole Milk (for Anglaise)
  • 120 ml Heavy Cream (Double Cream) (for Anglaise)
  • 4 Large Egg Yolks
  • 75g Granulated Sugar (Caster Sugar)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract (for Anglaise)

Instructions:

  1. Prep Dates: Place chopped dates in a heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over them, stir in the baking soda, and leave to steep for 15 minutes. The baking soda helps them break down into a sticky paste.
  2. Preheat & Grease: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Grease and line your pudding basin or cake tin.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
  4. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and pumpkin purée.
  5. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg).
  6. Mix Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
  7. Incorporate Dates: Stir the date and water mixture (which should now be a thick paste) into the batter until evenly distributed.
  8. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 50–55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the pudding rest in the tin for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate.
  9. Brown the Butter: Melt the 55g butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the milk solids turn a deep amber brown and it smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Immediately pour the brown butter into a small heatproof bowl, leaving any dark sediment behind.
  10. Heat Dairy: Combine the milk and cream in the same saucepan. Heat gently until just steaming (do not boil).
  11. Temper Egg Yolks: Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar together vigorously in a separate bowl until pale and thick. Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while whisking continuously (this is tempering).
  12. Cook Custard: Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (coats the back of a spoon) and reaches 82°C (180°F). Do not exceed 85°C (185°F).
  13. Finish Anglaise: Immediately remove from heat, stir in the vanilla bean paste and the prepared brown butter. Strain the Anglaise through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl. Chill immediately or keep warm.
  14. Make Caramel Base: Melt the 115g butter and dark brown sugar (for sauce) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture begins to bubble vigorously (about 5 minutes).
  15. Add Dairy: Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream until smooth.
  16. Add Flavour & Serve: Stir in the bourbon and a pinch of salt. Return to low heat for 1 minute until glossy. Slice generous portions of the warm pudding, douse liberally with the warm sticky toffee sauce, and serve alongside the warm or cooled Brown Butter Crème Anglaise.