Sticky Date Pudding with Coconut Caramel Sauce

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. 

Drain and rinse the cashews before placing them in a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Scoop out the cashew cream and set aside in a bowl. Now blend the dates in the food processor, until a smooth paste is formed.  

Set aside ½ cup of date mixture (for the caramel sauce) scooping the remaining 1 cup to the bowl with the cashew cream. Add the vanilla and lemon and mix well.  

Next, add in the dry ingredients before mixing again.  

Grease a deep, oven-proof dish with the margarine, and scoop in the mixture. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. 

Place the caramel sauce ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Set sauce aside.  

Once the pudding is cooked, place it on a plate, decorating the edges with strawberries. When you’re ready to serve, drizzle over the caramel sauce, letting it cover the pudding.

Serve as is or with a scoop coconut ice-cream. 

Ingredients:

For the pudding 

½ cup raw cashews (soaked overnight, or in boiling water for a few hours) 

1 ½ cups medjool dates, pitted (soaked in boiling water for 1 hour) 

1 tsp vanilla essence  

1 tbsp lemon juice 

1 tsp baking soda 

¼ cup cornflour (or tapioca starch)

pinch of salt 

1 tbsp vegan margarine  

1 punnet of strawberries (to serve) 

For the caramel sauce 

½ cup of the date paste (made during the pudding instructions) 

1 cup coconut cream 

1 tsp vanilla essence  

salt to taste