STICKY DATE PUDDING served with a CHOCOLATE, WALNUT & FIG COMPOTE

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Samuel Farrugia, a professional chef with a career spanning over 18 years is the founder of The Maltese Cook and has just launched his newest sharing concept which goes by the name of ‘Trust the Chef - Good Rustic Food, Bringing People Together’. Sam has travelled around the world, working in diverse locations and is bringing all that he has learnt and loves to cook to the table. Get in touch to book a table. Here is a dish taken from one of his recent Trust the Chef dinners.

 

Figs, dates and walnuts can all be found in abundance within the Maltese islands, and what screams comfort food more than a warmy sticky pudding? The trick is to let the sauce soak into the sponge before serving, then bring plenty more to the table so everyone can help themselves!

 

 

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 8 - 10)

 

FOR THE PUDDING

 

A.

750ml Water

600g Red Apples (Peeled & Diced)

600g Dates (Chopped)

 

B.

400g Butter (Soft)

600g Brown Sugar

3 Large Eggs

 

C.

600g Plain Flour (Sieved)

30g Baking Powder

20g Salt

 

FOR THE COMPOTE SAUCE

 

250ml Dried Figs (Chopped)

50g Walnuts (Toasted & Chopped)

200ml Water

75ml Red Wine

60g Brown Sugar

25g Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Orange Zest

Pinch Cinnamon

Pinch Ground Nutmeg

Pinch Ground Star Anise

Pinch Ground Cloves

 

METHOD FOR PUDDING

 

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

 

Place ( A ) ingredients in a pot and bring to a simmer. Once dates have softened down, take off the heat and blitz with a hand blender till smooth, put aside to cool. Once cooled, add ( B ) ingredients to the blended date mixture and whisk in till fully incorporated. Finally, add ( C ) ingredients to this mix and fold in with a spatula till fully incorporated and no lumps are present. Add pudding mix to a loaf tin or a shallow baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 minutes or till a knife runs clean when inserted into the pudding. Set aside to cool and cut to desired thickness and size.

 

METHOD FOR SAUCE

 

Place all the ingredients into a pot and bring to a simmer. Cook down to a thick, syrup-like consistency.

 

When ready to serve, slightly warm the pudding in a microwave and serve with a few spoonful’s of compote. Finish with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and toasted crushed hazelnuts.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

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