Ingredients
- 250 g pitted dates, chopped
- 250 ml boiling water
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 120 g unsalted butter
- 180 ml Québec maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 220 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 180 ml heavy cream
- 100 ml maple syrup for the sauce
- 40 g unsalted butter for the sauce
Method
- Soak dates in boiling water with baking soda for 10 minutes, then mash lightly.
- Beat butter and 120 ml maple syrup; add eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, and the date mixture.
- Bake in a buttered 20 cm dish at 165 °C for 35–40 minutes.
- Simmer cream, 100 ml maple syrup, and butter; pour half over the hot pudding and serve with the rest.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g brown sugar in the pudding and sauce
Conversion used: Use 280 ml maple syrup for 200 g brown sugar; reduce the date-soaking water by 30 ml and the sauce cream by 20 ml. Bake at 165 °C instead of 180 °C, reducing the oven by 15 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple reinforces the dates' toffee character while making the sauce less heavy than a brown-sugar version. It is especially compatible with this British pudding's dark, buttery flavor.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →