Ingredients
DULCE DE LECHE
395g can condensed milk
PUDDING
1 cup dark, sweet rum, plus 2 Tbsp extra
200ml water
1 vanilla bean split
300g pitted dates
125g salted butter, softened, plus extra, for greasing
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 free-range eggs
200g natural almonds, chopped, plus extra, to sprinkle
250g plain flour, sifted
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Whipped cream, to serve
Method
-
To make Dulce de leche, put can in a saucepan. Cover with water and simmer on low, uncovered, for 3 hours, topping up with extra water as necessary to ensure can is always covered with water.
-
Meanwhile, to make Pudding, in a medium saucepan, combine rum, water and vanilla. Bring to boil. Pour over dates in a bowl. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour for dates to absorb liquid.
-
Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Put half of the date mixture into a blender and reserve remaining. Blend until smooth.
-
Using a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. With motor running, add eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low. Beat in date mixtures and nuts. Fold in sifted flour and bicarb. Scatter with extra nuts.
-
Grease a 6-cup capacity baking dish with extra butter. Pour date mixture into pan. Put dish in a large, deep roasting pan and add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre of pudding comes out clean.
-
Transfer cooked dulce de leche to a bowl and whisk until smooth.
-
Prick holes all over hot pudding with a fork. Pour over extra rum. Serve with cream and dulce de leche.
Cook's tip
You can purchase dulce de leche from the supermarket instead of making your own.
You may also like: