Description
Soft, moist, and infused with spice, this vegan chai sticky toffee pudding offers a delicious twist on the classic British dessert. Sweetened with dates and topped with a rich, dairy-free toffee sauce, it’s a crowd-pleasing treat that’s perfect for any celebration.
Ingredients
Pudding:
- ¾ cup boiling water
- 2 masala chai tea bags
- 1 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ginger
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- Pinch of black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk
- ½ cup neutral oil
Toffee Sauce:
- ¾ cup vegan heavy cream
- 2 masala chai tea bags
- ½ cup (1 stick) vegan butter
- ¾ cup (155g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Add the black tea bags to the boiling water and let steep for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and discard.
- Add the dates and baking soda to a medium bowl. Pour over the tea mixture and make sure the dates are submerged. Set aside for 10 minutes for the dates to soften.
- Meanwhile, add the flour, baking powder, and spices to a large bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F and grease an 8×8” or similar-sized baking dish.
- Once the dates have soaked, add them and the soaking liquid to a food processor. Blend until nearly smooth–you can leave it chunkier if you prefer chunks of dates in your sticky toffee pudding. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender to blend the mixture in the bowl.
- Add the date mixture, oil, and non-dairy milk to the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs.
- While the pudding bakes, prepare the toffee sauce. Heat the vegan heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once at a simmer, add the black tea bags and lower the heat to low. Steep for 10 minutes, then remove and discard the tea bags.
- Add the vegan butter and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is slightly thickened, about 5-8 minutes. The longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it will be.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Once the pudding is done baking, remove it from the oven and use a toothpick to poke holes all over the cake, poking all the way through.
- Pour about half of the hot toffee sauce over the pudding. Allow the pudding to cool and absorb the sauce for at least 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with additional sauce and a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or a splash of more vegan heavy cream.
Notes
The best dates for this recipe are Medjool dates because:
- Soft texture: They blend smoothly into the pudding, creating natural sweetness and moisture.
- Large size: Easy to pit and chop.
- Rich caramel flavor: Enhances the toffee notes in the dessert.
If Medjool dates are unavailable, Deglet Noor dates can be used as an alternative; however, they should be soaked for an extended period to soften.
You can also lightly chop them for texture or blend thoroughly for a smoother pudding.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 38 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Ovwn
- Cuisine: British