The Ultimate Vegan Christmas Showstopper You Have to Try

We have collaborated with the amazing Christina Leopold aka Addicted to Dates to bring you the ultimate vegan Christmas show stopping dessert, that will wow your guests this Christmas.

Gingerbread Sticky Toffee Pudding With Orange Salted Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

1. 200g medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2. 150ml hot water
3. 118ml dairy-free milk (soy, almond, or oat milk)
4. 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar
5. 300g plain flour
6. 2 ½ tsp baking powder
7. ½ tsp baking soda
8. ¼ tsp sea salt
9. 2 ½ tsp ground ginger
10. 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
11. 1 tsp ground nutmeg
12. ¼ tsp ground cloves
13. 100g unsweetened apple puree
14. 40g cane molasses
15. 1 tsp vanilla extract
16. 150g vegan block-style butter, room temp (plus extra for greasing the pan)
17. 75g light brown sugar
18. 75g dark muscovado sugar

CARAMEL

1. 50ml orange juice
2. 50ml + 50ml vegan heavy cream, separated
3. 200g granulated sugar
4. 30ml water
5. 90g vegan block-style butter, cubed
6. ½ tsp vanilla extract
7. ½ tsp sea salt

METHOD

1. Preparation: Preheat your oven to fan 160°C (conventional 180°C). Liberally grease a 20cm
   half sphere cake mould or pudding pan with vegan butter and place it on a baking tray.
2. Pudding: Add the chopped dates to a bowl with the boiling water. Leave them to soak for
   20-30 minutes. Then mash them into a paste using a fork – set aside.
3. Add the milk and apple cider vinegar to a small bowl or jug, stir and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
4. To a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg,
   and cloves and whisk to combine. Set aside.
5. To a separate small bowl, add the apple puree, cane molasses, and vanilla extract and stir to
   combine. Set aside.
6. Add the softened butter to separate large mixing bowl or to the bowl of a stand mixer and
   use an electric whisk (or paddle attachment if using a mixer) to beat the butter for 2-3
   minutes until light and airy.
7. Add in the light brown sugar and dark muscovado sugar and continue to beat until
   incorporated. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as
   needed.
8. Slowly add the apple puree/molasses mixture to the butter whilst mixing until combined. Do
   not worry if the mixture appears split – this is fine!
9. Alternate between adding the dairy-free milk and dry ingredients to the batter in 3
   increments. Whisk to combine between each one.
10. Lastly, fold the date paste into the mixture until evenly combined.
11. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth out the top with a spatula or spoon and
    bake for 70-80 minutes. At the 70 minute mark, insert a skewer into the centre of a cake – it
    should be almost clean with a few crumbs on it, but there should be no wet batter residue.
    Continue to bake as needed.
12. Once done, carefully remove the pan from the oven and let it sit in the cake mould for 5-10
    minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the cake to help loosen it. Then place a
    large plate on top of the pan and very carefully flip it over (it will be hot so please protect
    yourself with oven gloves). Lift off the cake mould to reveal the pudding underneath.
13. Caramel: Mix together the orange juice with 50ml of cream in a glass and set aside. Add the
    sugar and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt over medium-heat until the sugar
    melts and turns into amber caramel colour – do not disturb or stir it, but rather swirl the pan a
    little to help it brown evenly.
14. Add the butter in 2 parts – whisking each time to incorporate it into the caramel. The mixture
    will bubble up so take care not to burn yourself.
15. Slowly drizzle the orange cream into the caramel whilst whisking until combined. Simmer for
    2 minutes, then remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
16. Once cooled, whisk the remaining 50ml vegan cream into the caramel until smooth.
17. Pour the caramel sauce over the pudding before serving and enjoy