Recipes Carrie Evans, Images Brydie Thompson
There is a saying, ‘coffee is always a good idea’. So, with the help of Carrie and the Excelso team, we thought we’d take that message beyond your morning cup and serve it up for dessert.
This twist on the ever popular sticky date pudding is great, with a smooth coffee which can be achieved with cold drip coffee, or we used the good old plunger or French press. Carrie suggests a Brazil Doce Verao, with almond, caramel and dark chocolate notes. Or perhaps a Mexico Chiapas SHG with dark chocolate, toffee and hazelnut flavours.
Makes 8 individual puddings or one large one.
1 cup dates
200ml boiling water
200ml coffee
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
80g butter
¾ cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Heat oven to 170°C.
Grease muffin tins, moulds or mini loaf tin.
In a bowl mix dates, boiling water, 100ml coffee and baking soda. Allow to cool.
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in sifted flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 100ml coffee.
Now mix in the soaked dates.
Spoon into tins or moulds and bake for 15–20 minutes.
Sauce
½ cup coffee
½ cup cream
½ cup brown sugar
Combine all ingredients and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
Bring to a boil and then turn off the heat.
Pour over sticky date pudding while warm.