A lighter model of sticky toffee pudding, wealthy with dates and spices, and the juicy texture of poached pears, this vegan dessert is bound to please a crowd

• Preparation and cooking time
  • Prep:25 minutes
  • Cook dinner:50 minutes
• Extra effort
• Serves 8

• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Vegan
• Vegetarian

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Components

• 8 small agency pears (we used Convention)
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 star anise
• 6 cloves
• 1 lemon, zest pared
• 1 orange, zest pared
• vegan ice cream, to serve (non-obligatory)

For the sponge

• 250g pitted dates
• 2 tbsp linseeds
• 300ml unsweetened almond milk
• 200ml vegetable oil, plus further for greasing
• 175g darkish muscovado sugar
• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp floor blended spice

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Technique

• STEP 1

  Peel the pears and minimize the underside off every to present a flat base – minimize them to a peak that may match snugly in your tin. Use a melon baller or small knife to chop out the pips from the bottom. Roughly chop the pear scraps, discarding the pips, and put aside. Tip the sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, zests and 600ml water right into a saucepan giant sufficient to suit all of the pears. Convey to the boil, then simmer till the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears, cowl with a lid or a bit of baking parchment, and poach gently for 15 minutes till a knife simply slides right into a pear. Go away to chill within the liquid.

• STEP 2

  Now make the sponge. Put the dates and linseeds in a saucepan and add the almond milk. Convey to a delicate simmer, then prepare dinner for 2-3 minutes till the dates are mushy. Pour right into a meals processer and blitz till clean. Add the oil and mix once more, then scrape right into a bowl and put aside to chill a bit of. Warmth oven to 180C/160C fan/gasoline 4. Grease and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin (a free -bottomed one if potential) with a strip of baking parchment.

• STEP 3

  Put the dry elements in a big mixing bowl with 1/ 2 tsp salt. Combine effectively, breaking apart any lumps of sugar along with your fingers, and shaking the bowl a couple of occasions to encourage any remaining lumps to come back to the floor. Add the date and oil combination, and stir effectively. Fold within the chopped pear scraps. Scrape the cake combination into the tin, then nestle within the pears, standing straight up, in order that the underside halves are coated. Bake for 35-40 minutes till the cake is cooked by way of. Insert a skewer to the centre to examine – it ought to come out clear. If there may be any moist cake combination on the skewer, return the cake to the oven and bake for 10 minutes extra, then examine once more.

• STEP 4

  In the meantime, carry the pear poaching liquid again to the boil and simmer till decreased to a shiny syrup. When the pudding is cooked, cool for 5-10 minutes, then brush throughout with the syrup, saving a bit of further to serve alongside, with vegan ice cream, for those who like.