Ingredients
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300g pitted dates
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125ml boiling water
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100g very soft butter
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100g natural yogurt
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100ml milk
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125g spelt flour
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2 tsp baking powder
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1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
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½ tsp mixed spice
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¼ tsp ground cinnamon
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100g dates
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50g butter
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200ml boiling water
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Greek yogurt to serve
This is a healthier version of the much-loved sticky toffee pudding and importantly, it tastes every bit as good, says M&B cook Clare Walker.
This is achieved by substituting refined sugar, half the butter and plain flour with dates, natural yogurt and spelt flour. Spelt is a variety of grain that is closely related to wheat and is packed with nutrients that many other cereals do not contain. It also contains lots of protein and fibre. Dates are another great source of fibre and minerals. However, they are still naturally high in sugar, so don’t let your little one eat too many.
The pudding
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Soak the dates in the boiling water for 10 minutes and then blend together. This is easiest done with a hand blender.
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Grease and line the bottom of a 23cm square tin.
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Preheat the oven to 160C fan or 180C conventional.
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Add the milk, butter and yogurt to the blended dates and whisk together.
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Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
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Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together well.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
The sauce
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Soak the dates in the boiling water for 10 minutes.
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Drain the dates, reserving the liquid.
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Blend the dates and butter and then add the reserved soaking water until the sauce is smooth and of the desired consistency.
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To serve, warm the sauce gently in a saucepan.
Weaning?
Add a little bit of the sauce to some mashed banana and Greek yogurt, or for an older baby cut the banana into batons and allow your baby to dip the banana into the sauce.
Toddler?
Serve your toddler some strips of pudding with a small amount of sauce for dipping.
Pregnant?
Dates are a great source of many useful minerals and fibre. Adding dietary fibre to your diet will reduce the risk of constipation and will lower your blood pressure.