500g Almond Milk or plant milk, shop-bought or home-made
900g dates, stoned (pitted)
200g coconut sugar
220g coconut oil
2 teaspoons of baking soda
200g Gluten-free Flour (doves farm self raisin)
2tsp vanilla paste
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of moulden sea salt
For the Toffee Sauce:
400g coconut sugar
450ml coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Vanilla Custard:
2 tablespoons very fine cornflour
900ml coconut milk
3 tablespoons of coconut nectar syrup
1 tsp of vanilla paste
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line a square half gastro with greaseproof paper
Start with making the pudding. In a large saucepan gently heat the milk and dates for 5–10 minutes until the dates have softened. Once softened, set aside.
In a blender, blitz the coconut sugar and coconut oil until the sugar has mostly dissolved. Add the baking soda to the milk and date mix – it will start to fizz and bubble, but that is okay just make sure it is in a pan with some room to move so it does not overflow.
In a mixing bowl, combine the gluten free flour, vanilla paste, spices, pinch of salt, coconut oil and sugar mix along with the dates and milk mixture and give everything a good stir, make this in the kitchen aid with the wisk if its easier.
Pour into the cake tray and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
While the pudding is cooking, make the toffee sauce. Heat a pan over medium heat, add the coconut sugar and coconut milk and let it heat through.
Add the salt and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let it simmer for 20 minutes until the caramel has thickened. Stir it occasionally to make sure it doesn’t burn. A great way of knowing if it’s ready is to see if it sticks to the back of a spoon.
Stir in a little more salt if desired and either use it straightaway or let it cool down before storing – it will become even thicker as it cools down. Store at room temperature not ing the fridge.
Once the cake is done, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
For the custard:
Blend the cornflour with a little bit of of the coconut milk, and then in a medium pan over a medium heat, whisk until you have an even consistency.
Then add the rest of the ingredients including the vanilla paste, whisking until the cornflour and vanilla are fully incorporated into the coconut milk.
Whisk until the custard starts to thicken and then, as soon as the mixture begins to boil, take it off the heat and let it cool.
To serve place the pudding on to a tray and warm in the over for 4 minutes
Place the custard into a pan and warm on a medium heat for 1 minute
Place the pudding into the serving bowl and pour 1 cup of custard over the top and around the sides
Top with 2 tablespoons of the toffee sauce and its good to go.
