This classic sticky toffee pudding is wonderfully sweet without going over-the-top with the calories.  Toasted pecans give the pudding a lovely crunchy texture, and for best results – serve warm with lashings of vegan ice cream!

Ingredients:

For the pudding:

• 200 grams roughly chopped, pitted dates
• 1.5 cups almond milk
• .5 tsp baking soda
• .25 cup vegan butter substitute, lightly softened
• 75 grams brown sugar
• .75 cup chopped pecans
• .5 tsp ground cinnamon
• .25  tsp salt
• 1.25 cups whole wheat flour 

For the toffee sauce:

• .25 cup brown rice syrup, honey or maple syrup
• 35 grams brown sugar
• 3 tbsp vegan butter substitute
• 1 tbsp  vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp almond milk
• pinch of salt

 Method

1. Toast the pecans in a preheated oven at 3250F for 10 minutes.  Increase the heat to 3750F.  Grease a 9 inch pie dish with butter substitute.
2. Bring the almond milk to simmering point.  Add the dates and cook on a low heat for one minute.  Remove from the heat and add the baking soda.
3. Take a large mixing bowl and whisk together the butter substitute and brown sugar until smooth.  Stir in the date and almond milk mixture.
4. Now add all the dry ingredients and combine.  Put the mixture into the greased pie dish and bake for half an hour or until the pudding is cooked.

Toffee sauce

1. Make the toffee sauce about 10 minutes before the pudding is ready.  Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a pan. 
2. Bring the mixture to simmering point then turn the heat down and continue stirring so that the sauce doesn’t burn.  Cook for five minutes then remove from the heat and set aside.

When the pudding is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for a few minutes.  Prick the top of the pudding all over with a fork then pour half to two thirds of the toffee sauce over it.  Top the pudding with toasted pecans.

Serve the pudding with the reserved toffee sauce on the side and a generous scoop of your favourite vegan ice cream.

Image source:  ohsheglows.com