Spiced pumpkin & Sang Som rum sticky toffee pudding with coconut toffee sauce.

Today, I'm excited to share a delightful recipe that combines the comforting flavours of autumn with a tropical twist. This warm, spiced pumpkin pudding drizzled with a luscious coconut toffee sauce is perfect for those chilly evenings. It’s a harmonious blend of sweet and spice, offering a taste that's both familiar and exotic. Let's dive into this scrumptious adventure!

Ingredients

For the Pudding:

• 175g self-raising flour

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 140g dark, soft brown sugar

• 85g softened butter

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 500ml coconut cream

• 2 tea bags

• 100g medjool dates, de-seeded

• 400g pumpkin puree (homemade is best, but tinned works well)

• 1 tablespoon Sang Som rum (or brandy, if you're feeling fancy)

For the Coconut Toffee Sauce:

• 175g palm sugar (light muscovado sugar can be used as a substitute)

• 50g butter, chopped into cubes

• 225ml coconut cream

• 1 tablespoon black treacle

• Optional: 1 tablespoon Sang Som rum

• Optional: pinch of sea salt

Optional Garnishes:

• 10g toasted coconut

• Scoops of your favourite ice cream

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C. Sieve together the self-raising flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt.

2. Infuse the coconut cream by warming it in a medium pan with tea bags. Simmer for a minute, then remove the tea bags. Add the medjool dates, allowing them to melt into the coconut cream. You can blend this mixture for a smoother texture, but a few chunky dates add a lovely bite.

3. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until grainy, then gradually mix in the eggs. You can use a mixer on medium to high speed until pale and fluffy. Stir in the pumpkin puree and Sang Som rum.

4. Combine the mixtures by folding in half the flour, then half the coconut and date mixture to the eggs and sugar. Repeat with the remaining flour and coconut mixture. The batter should be thick, toffee-coloured, and pourable.

5. Bake the pudding by pouring the mixture into a deep, buttered baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake on the middle shelf for 50 minutes to an hour, until risen and firm.

6. Prepare the toffee sauce by gently boiling the palm sugar, butter, and coconut cream in a saucepan. Stir regularly, then add the black treacle and rum. Simmer for 3-5 minutes until a rich toffee colour. Adjust thickness with more coconut cream if needed, and add a pinch of salt for extra flavour.

7. Serve the pudding warm, drizzled with the toffee sauce and topped with toasted coconut. For ultimate indulgence, add a scoop of ice cream.

And there you have it, a dessert that's sure to impress and delight! If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment below and explore my other culinary creations. Happy cooking!