This wine-soaked gluten-free sticky date pudding is a gooey, soft, and moist Christmas dessert made with Pinot Noir that tastes like just like sticky toffee pudding.
I love a good sticky date pudding, also known as sticky toffee pudding. But I always feel myself cringe at the incredible quantities of sugar that go into making most traditional sticky toffee. Then, one day, I had the luck of trying the best ever sticky toffee pudding in a restaurant - and I was shocked to find out it was made with red wine!
This year, I took a few weeks to land on my favorite gluten free sticky toffee pudding recipe, and I'm delighted to report I found it. Made with soft, falling-apart Medjool dates and drenched in a sweet toffee syrup made with Pinot noir and tinged with cinnamon, this gluten free sticky pudding provides the ultimate holiday experience.
Top a few slices of this gluten-free sticky toffee pudding with red wine sauce with your favorite vanilla or ginger ice cream, and watch the compliments come rolling in! It's the perfect Christmas dessert for adults and kids alike (the alcohol cooks out of the red wine, so you can safely serve it to those under 18).
Ingredients
In my recipe for the ultimate gluten free sticky date pudding, dates are the star of the show. Here are the pudding ingredients you'll need for this recipe:
- Dates: pitted, roughly chopped dates infuse the pudding with a rich, caramel flavor. Use Medjool dates for best results.
- Water: We pour a cup of boiling water over the dates to soften them, which ensures this comforting dessert's moist texture.
- Brown sugar: adds a lovely, molasses-like sweetness. Omit if you're watching your sugar. You can use light brown sugar or regular brown sugar.
- Unsalted butter: Gives this delicious pudding a smooth and rich taste.
- Eggs: Two eggs, brought to room temperature, help bind the cake together contribute to the pudding's fluffiness.
- Gluten-free Flour: Gluten-free flour makes this dessert accessible for those avoiding gluten. I like King Arthur gluten free 1:1 blend, Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour, or the Thomas Keller Cup4Cup blend.
- Baking powder: to help the pudding rise perfectly.
For a truly fancy touch, accompany the sticky date pudding with Pinot Noir sauce with:
- Pinot Noir Wine: Half a bottle creates a deep, fruity base for the sauce. Red wine gives this dish a deep toffee flavor, without needing to make a sugar-heavy caramel sauce that may burn.
- Sugar: Helps turn the wine into a silky syrup.
- Seasoning: A teaspoon of vanilla extract and a ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon provide warm and aromatic notes.
If you're feeling indulgent, serve the pudding with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of cream. See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Step-By-Step Directions
For the pudding:
Preheat the oven to 350F (standard) or 320F (convection). Grease 7 pudding molds with butter or grease and line an 8" square cake pan with an overhang.
Place dates in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Let them stand for 10 minutes. Mash the dates well with a potato masher (or fork) until it resembles sloppy porridge.
Make the batter:
Add the brown sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until incorporated. Add flour and sprinkle baking powder across the surface, mixing until the flour is incorporated. Add the dates and mix until well incorporated into the batter.
Pour into cake pan
Distribute the pudding mixture into a greased cake pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
For the wine syrup:
While the cake is baking, combine the wine, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Moisten cake with sauce:
Remove the cake from the oven. While still hot, poke about 40 holes all over the surface using a skewer. Pour ½ cup of the Pinot Noir sauce over the cake and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Remove the cake out of the pan, cut, and serve warm with the remaining warm sauce and ice cream or cream.
Storage
When I make gf sticky date pudding, I always ensure there's enough to enjoy later. To keep this treat fresh, refrigerate any leftover puddings and the sauce in separate airtight containers. They'll be good to eat for up to 5 days! Here are some tips for storing this gluten free dessert for future use:
- Cool completely: Before storing, I let my pudding cool slightly to room temperature.
- Wrap tightly: I wrap the pudding in cling film or aluminum foil, then place it in an airtight container. Then, it's good to store in the fridge.
For freezing:
I find that this sticky date pudding recipe freezes well for up to 3 months. Here’s how I do it:
- Slice the pudding for single servings.
- Wrap each slice individually.
- Place it in freezer bags.
To reheat, I simply thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and warm it in the microwave until heated through, ensuring the same delightful taste as if it were fresh.
Variations
When I make my gluten-free date pudding cake, I love to get creative! This classic toffee pudding is a rich, fantastic recipe, but a few twists can add some extra excitement to this comforting dessert.
- Individual Servings: I like to pour the batter into muffin tins for adorable, single-serving individual puddings. It will make about 6 pudding cups.
- Dairy-Free Option: If I'm catering for friends who avoid dairy, I use coconut oil or a dairy-free butter as an easy substitute.
- Egg-Free Baking: For those with allergies, making sticky date pudding without eggs is surprisingly simple and still delicious.
- Caramel sauce: Use storebought caramel sauce or sticky toffee sauce if you're short on time and don't want to make the wine syrup.
Top Tips
Here are some personal tips I've gathered for making this gluten-free dessert:
Use Fresh Dates: For the best flavor, I find that using fresh, pitted Medjool dates makes a difference. They should be soft and sticky. If they’re not, I soak them in hot water to rehydrate them.
For a smoother texture, give the date mixture a quick blitz before baking. It's a simple change but gives a completely different mouthfeel.
Oat and Almond Flour: A combination of oat flour and almond flour gives a lovely texture to the pudding while keeping it gluten-free.
Overhang: Line your baking dish with parchment paper with an overhang so you can easily pull your cake out when it's ready.
Accompanying Dishes And Serving Suggestions
When I serve up my gluten-free sticky toffee pudding cake, I love to pair it with sides that complement the rich and comforting flavors. Here's a handy list of my personal favorites:
- Vanilla Ice Cream: A scoop of creamy, gluten-free vanilla ice cream is a must. Its coolness and creaminess pair perfectly against the warm pudding.
- Whipped Cream: Lightly sweetened whipped cream adds a fluffy texture that's really delightful.
For a healthier twist, I sometimes opt for:
- Greek Yogurt: A spoon of unsweetened Greek yogurt can cut through the sweetness while adding a tangy kick.
- Fruit Compote: A tart berry compote provides a lovely contrast and freshness to the dish.
Remember, the key is to embrace flavors that will balance the pudding and elevate your dessert experience. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, I'll address some common inquiries about making gluten-free date pudding, from substitutions to vegan alternatives.
For my gluten-free sticky date puddings, I prefer using almond flour or a gluten-free flour blend designed for baking. These alternatives work wonderfully in creating a delightfully moist texture.
Certainly! I often use ripe bananas or applesauce to naturally sweeten my gluten-free sticky date pudding, reducing the need for added sugars without compromising this gluten-free dessert's rich taste.
Yes, it's quite easy! I switch out regular dairy for plant-based milk and use chia or flax seeds soaked in water as an egg substitute in my vegan gluten-free sticky date puddings.
My top tip is to ensure the gluten-free flour is well integrated. I always give it a good mix to avoid any grittiness, and don't forget to add a binding agent like xanthan gum if your flour blend doesn't include it to keep the pudding together.
Recipe
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Gluten-Free Date Pudding with Pinot Noir
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pudding:
- 9 oz pitted dates roughly chopped
- 1 cup boiling water
- ¼ cup brown sugar loosely packed
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups gluten-free flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Ice cream or dolloping cream optional
For the Pinot Noir Sauce:
- ½ bottle pinot noir wine
- ½ cup white sugar or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the pudding:
- Preheat oven to 350F (standard) or 320F (convection).
- Grease 7 pudding molds with butter or grease and line an 8" square cake pan with an overhang.
- Place dates in a bowl and pour over boiling water. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
- Mash well with a potato masher (or fork) until it resembles sloppy porridge.
- Place butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Beat until combined and smooth.
- Add eggs, beat until incorporated.
- Add flour and sprinkle baking powder across the surface. Mix until flour is incorporated.
- Add the date mixture and mix until well incorporated into the batter.
- Pour into cake pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
For the wine syrup:
- While baking, combine wine, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon together in a saucepan to make the toffee sauce. Bring to the boiling point and then simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Remove the cake from the oven. While still hot, poke about 40 holes all over the surface using a skewer. Pour over ½ cup pinot noir sauce and leave to soak for 10 minutes.
- Use the overhang to lift the cake out, cut, serve warm with the remaining warm sauce over the pudding and topped with ice cream or cream.
Jere Cassidy says
Wow, this was such a decadent dessert and the wine sauce was amazing. I had never made a wine sauce so I am glad to know how to do that for other desserts.