Marys Date Pudding Food

STICKY DATE & GINGER PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly grease a deep 2-litre (about 28 x 20cm) oval baking dish. Tip the dates into a pan, pour over the milk and bring up to scalding point. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla essence and bicarbonate of soda, then leave to one side. Sift the flour and ginger into a bowl, then add the sugar, butter and eggs. Beat with an electric whisk for about 5 mins. Fold in the date mixture and stem ginger, then pour into the baking dish.
• For the sauce, sprinkle the sugar over the pudding batter, then drizzle with the syrup. Pour 250ml boiling water over (do not stir), then bake for 40-45 mins until the pudding is firm to the touch. Serve spoonfuls of the pudding with a generous helping of syrupy sauce from the bottom of the dish. Great with vanilla ice cream or pouring cream.

STICKY DATE & RAISIN PUDDING

Steps:

• Put the dates, raisins, milk and brandy or rum in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 mins until the fruit is soft and the liquid has been absorbed - don't worry if it looks a little curdled. Leave to cool. Meanwhile, generously butter a 1.2-litre pudding basin.
• To prepare your steamer, place a snugly fitting upturned bowl or saucer in the base of a large, deep saucepan, big enough to hold your pudding basin. Cut out a large circle of baking parchment and one of foil, both 5cm wider than the rim of your pudding basin. Make a sharp pleat down the centre of both, then butter one side of the parchment - this will be your lid. Set aside. Boil the kettle for the steamer.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating again until well combined. Finally, add the flour, mixed spice, orange zest, date mixture and a pinch of salt, and stir everything well with a spatula until there are no visible lumps of flour. Tip the cake mixture into your pudding basin. Cover the bowl with the parchment, butter-side down and pleat on top, then the foil. Push the sides of the lid down, then tie a piece of string securely under the lip of the basin. Use any overhanging string to create a handle to help you lift the pudding.
• Stand the pudding basin on top of the upturned bowl or saucer in the saucepan and fill the pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the basin. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover the pan with a lid and leave to steam for 2½ hrs, topping up with boiling water if the level gets low. Check the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre. If the skewer has any uncooked mixture on it, return it to the pan to steam for another 15 mins, then check again. Once cooked, you can cover the pudding with clean baking parchment and foil and keep for up to a week. Re-steam the pudding for 1 hr before serving.

MARY'S BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Melt the butter in the baking dish. Beat the eggs with the sugar. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; mix well in a large mixing bowl. Add the cubed bread and fruit cocktail or peaches and stir.
• Pour into a 2.5 liter or 2.5 quart baking dish and bake for 50-60 minutes.

DATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a saucepan combine 1 cup brown sugar, water, and bring to a boil, cook for 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add butter.
• In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, 1/2 cup sugar.
• Stir in milk until smooth.
• Add dates and walnuts.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Pour syrup into a 8 or 9-inch baking pan; add batter and bake for 45 minutes.
• Serve warm with whipped cream.

MARY'S DATE FILLED COOKIES

Steps:

• Mix all filling ingredients (except nuts) together over medium heat. Add nuts -- stirring constantly.
• Once sugars are disolved and mixed with other ingredients, take off heat and let cool.
• Mix shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Stir in buttermilk. Sift in flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Let chill at least 1 hour.
• Roll dough in ball and make a thumb print in center of the cookie. Add approx 1 tsp date filling in the hole, then cover top of filling with a small piece of dough patted down lightly.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

MARY'S DATE PUDDING

Steps:

• Mix together the batter ingredients (You need enough flour to make the batter stiff)
• Put the sauce ingredients in a dutch oven pan and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat and spoon batter (clumps)onto the sauce.
• Bake at 375 for 45 minute.