Sticky Date Pudding With Toffee Sauce

Last week was a tough week for us. Thursday morning, we were awoken to the sad news that Akber's grandmother had passed away. She had led a fruitful and energetic life well into her nineties. She had been battling minor illnesses that come with old age for a while. Still, our hearts were heavy with sadness.

Akber left to accompany his parents to Dar es Salaam and be with the family. That left me and Maryam plenty of alone time.

Usually, our days would have been filled with play dates, park walks and swim time. However, with the scorching Dubai summer and me fasting, we have had no choice but to remain indoors.

Instead, our days have been filled with lots of baking, partly for her but mainly for me. To keep my mind occupied. She helped with whisking, pitting dates- anything to get her hands dirty.

We made these light and moist sticky date puddings together. Topped it with a smooth toffee sauce and some whipped cream on the side. 'One for Mummy, one for Maryam.' Or maybe two.

Dates are a favorite of Maryam. She thinks they are chocolate and I'm not complaining. We took some of these puddings for Iftar at my sister's house where I have been breaking my fast since Akber has been away. It is an unspoken tradition to bring a small token or gift for the hostess. And what better than a home baked dessert- light and airy. Rich, yet filling. With extra toffee sauce on top.

Any leftovers? I saved a couple for Akber when he returns this week. I'm sure he'll appreciate it.

Sticky Date Pudding With Toffee Sauce

Ingredients:
170 gms dates- pitted and roughly chopped
300 ml boiling water
1 tsp soda bicarbonate
60 gms butter
100 gms brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
170 gms flour

For the toffee sauce:
75 gms butter
125 gms brown sugar
2/3 cup cream

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade. Grease a mini bundt pan with baking spray. Place dates, water and soda bicarbonate in a blender and blend to a paste.  Set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Add the vanilla. With the mixer on low, stir in the flour. Fold in the date paste.

Pour mixture into the mini bundt pan until each mold is 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

To make the toffee sauce, mix all the into a pan and place on low heat for 5 minutes, mixing every now and then until incorporated. Once the sauce has come to room temperature, it will thicken. To get it back to the right consistency, you can reheat it.

Serve the puddings hot drizzled with toffee sauce and some whipped cream/mascarpone on the side (I made the puddings in the morning and reheated them at night in the microwave).

Makes 15 mini bundt cakes. Recipe from here.