Recipe and images courtesy of Rebel Recipes (@rebelrecipes on Instagram)

You can’t beat a warm sticky toffee pudding, especially at Christmas! This one is wonderfully soft and squidgy, with sweet dates, ground almonds and warming spices. The rich maple toffee sauce has a little tahini stirred through for a delicious nutty twist. Just the thing for a cosy winter dessert.

Serves: 8

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30–35 minutes

Ingredients

For the sponge

  • 200g pitted dates, roughly chopped
  • 150ml boiling water
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 100g dairy-free butter, softened
  • 100g light soft brown sugar
  • 80ml maple syrup
  • 150g self-raising flour
  • 75g ground almonds
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 100ml unsweetened oat or soya milk
  • Pinch of salt

For the maple tahini toffee sauce

  • 100ml maple syrup
  • 150ml dairy-free double cream
  • 40g dairy-free butter
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of flaky sea salt

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Grease and line a 20cm square baking tin.
  2. Place the dates in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Leave for 10 minutes until softened, then mash with a fork or blend briefly to make a thick, slightly textured purée.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the dairy-free butter and brown sugar until light and creamy. Stir in the maple syrup and vanilla.
  4. Fold in the flour, ground almonds, ginger, cinnamon and salt, alternating with the oat milk and date mixture. Mix gently until just combined.
  5. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 30–35 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  6. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Add the maple syrup, dairy-free cream and butter to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
  7. Remove from the heat and whisk in the tahini, vanilla and sea salt until smooth and glossy.
  8. While the pudding is still warm, prick the surface with a skewer and spoon over a little of the sauce, allowing it to soak in.
  9. Cut into squares and serve warm with the remaining maple toffee sauce.

Cook’s tip: This pudding is ideal for making ahead. Keep the sponge and sauce separately in the fridge for up to three days, then reheat gently before serving. The tahini adds a subtle nutty richness without overpowering the classic sticky toffee flavour.