Rice Pudding with Sticky Date Sauce, Chopped Roasted Dates and Desiccated Coconut
This winter warmer combines two iconic English desserts: Rice pudding and sticky Toffee pudding. Sticky toffee pudding, also known as timir cake, holds a special place in the homes and hearts of Somalis, and in addition to tiramisu has been adopted by Somalis as one of their own. Its origins in the cuisine remain elusive, however a broader love of dates provides an obvious anchor point. As temperatures continue to plummet, this low effort dessert brings a comforting familiarity during winter months.
Rice Pudding with Sticky Date Sauce, Chopped Roasted Dates and Desiccated Coconut
Rice Pudding with Sticky Date Sauce, Chopped Roasted Dates and Desiccated Coconut
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the rice pudding
90g Pudding Rice
600 ml of Full fat milk
300 ml of Double Cream
80g Caster Sugar
1/4tsp Salt
1/3 of /tonka bean* (grated)/or 1/4tsp of Vanilla Bean paste
1/2 tsp of Cinnamon
For the Sticky date sauce and chopped dates
150ml double cream
80g of butter
80g of dark brown sugar
8 Dates
1Tbsp Date syrup
1Tbsp Maple Syrup
2 TBSP of desiccated coconut
*The tonka bean is the aromatic seed from a Brazilian teak tree. It’s similar to vanilla in flavor and is used in a way similar to how we use nutmeg. A little goes a long way, and it’s much more cost-effective (and more flavorful) than vanilla.
Step One
Combine all the ingredients for your rice pudding mixture—except the rice—in a medium-sized pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook on low heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step Two
Preheat your oven the 200 degrees celsius. Whilst it heats up, deseed your dates. Splitting them in half. Add to a pan with a half a cup of water. Cook for 5 minutes at a medium heat or until the liquid has bubbled and reduced and the dates are softened.
Step Three
Add the dates to a tray lined with baking paper and and drizzle with your maple syrup - this is to help bring sweetness back into the date but opt out of a healthier alternative - roast in the oven for 13 minutes. The dates should be more sticky and chewy in texture.
Step Four
Meanwhile, add all the ingredients for the sticky date sauce to a small pan. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, or until the mixture slightly thickens.
Step Five
Meanwhile, place all your ingredients for the sticky date sauce into a small pan. Cook at a medium low heat for 5 minutes, until the mixture has slightly thickened. Allow it to cool, it should continue to thicken during the cooling process.
Step Six
In a small pan, toast some desiccated coconut over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure even browning.
Step Seven
Once your rice pudding is ready - the mixture is thick and the rice is cooked through - compile your rice pudding and toppings. Chop the dates into halves/quarters once cool. Rice pudding first, date sauce next, roasted dates and sprinkles of toasted coconut.
Many thanks to my dear friend Tom Bacon for sharing this recipe with, and to Florence Robinson for creating the ultimate rice pudding recipe that inspired this adaptation.
❤️