vegemite sticky date puddings
Sticky date pudding has gone largely untampered with for generations. It was doing perfectly well without my input.
So naturally, I put Vegemite in it. Vegemite in the pudding. Vegemite in the butterscotch. You’d think this level of commitment would’ve landed me the account by now.
It’s funny how some ingredients are allowed to cross the dessert boundary. Salt, miso and olive oil get a free pass, while others get stopped at customs.
Vegemite isn’t here to make your dessert taste like your breakfast, that would be unhinged. It’s here because a tiny amount of savoury makes the caramel deeper, the dates richer and the whole thing just more sticky-datey.
Purists will point out this isn’t a canelé either and they’d be right. I’m just borrowing the mould because crispy edges are one of life’s great pleasures.
Don’t tell anyone there’s Vegemite in it until they’ve asked for the recipe.
vegemite sticky date puddings
Makes 12
We uses a 12 hole canelé tin for this recipe, but you could also bake in a standard size muffin tin or mini bundt tin, just fill to about ¾ full. Baking time may be a little shorter or longer, when the pudding spring back when gently pressed they are done!
150g dates, roughly chopped
½ tbsp Vegemite
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
45g butter, plus extra to grease tin
1 extra large egg + 2 extra yolks
150g caster sugar
140g self-raising flour
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
VEGEMITE BUTTERSCOTCH
150g brown sugar
100g thickened cream
100g unsalted butter
½ tbsp Vegemite
½ tsp vanilla bean paste
In a small saucepan combine dates with Vegemite and 185ml of water. Boil until the dates are super soft and jammy. Take off the heat, immediately stir in the bicarb and butter, then set aside to cool completely.
Once cool, preheat a conventional oven to 180ºC. Generously grease whatever tin you’re using and fill the holes to about ¾ full (you may have more or less batter, depending on the size of your tin). Bake for 16-18 mins or until the pudding spring back when gently pressed in the centre. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 mins then turn out onto a cooling rack.
To make the Vegemite Butterscotch combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until the sugar has melted. If you can see streaks of Vegemite give it a good whisk to thoroughly distribute through the sauce.
Serve the puddings warm with a generous pour of sauce.