If you had to go through all your earthly belongings and  choose only 100 things. You are only allowed to choose the things that bring you joy. You have to let go of everything else.What would you choose?

Currently I am reading “a 100 pieces of me” (by Lucy Dillon), I am still about a quarter of the way through it but I really like the book. The idea of going through your life with a new set of eyes, keeping only what makes you happy, leaving behind all else is intriguing to say the least.
As we go through life, we all hang on to things for various reasons, some we love, some we feel safe with, others remind us of who we are, or who we want to be.Some are precious tokens worth keeping while others are nothing more than luggage that weigh you down.

When we decided to move to the UAE a year and a half ago, I had to go through all our stuff, trying to sort through a life time and pack what really matters in 4 suitcases. It sounds like a crazy task and it was. What to take, what to leave and what to let go of.The avalanche of memories and emotions that came with this was at times too much to take but once it was all said and done, I felt so much lighter and funny enough happier and more content.  Stopping by along the journey to see how far you’ve come, reminds you of the person you once were and what it took to make you the person you’ve become. A feeling I am sure Kristy can relate to as her family prepares for a sabbatical in Europe.

A new set of eyes and such an experience also helps you realize that when it comes down to choosing a precious few things to take along on this new adventure you always go for simple stuff. That book that changed something inside you, the movie that cheers you up when you’re feeling down, a necklace from your best friend, a recipe book with notes on the margins in your mum’s hand writing. You believe more that ever that:

Enjoy the little things in life for one day you will look back and realize they were the things that matter the most

Now back to the recipe.

This sticky date pudding is one of my kids’ all time favorite desserts. As a result I have played around with the recipe quite a few times. You can replace the hot water with tea, to infuse the pudding with an extra layer of flavor. My favorite is Earl Grey as the citrus notes go so well with dates but you can definitely experiment and try it with your favorite tea. You can also use other nuts instead of the walnuts, pistachio happen to be one of my favorites. Replacing part of the flour with coco powder is another great twist.

As you go through the recipe, the technique might take you by surprise. To get the batter to turn into pudding consistency, you actually pour boiling water on the batter and bake it. Crazy as that may sound, it works! I have made this cake enough time to give you my guarantee that it not only works but the result is a heavenly moist cake like top floating on top of a sea of caramel like sauce.

The pudding can be served warm with a scoop of icecream and some sliced fruit or you can enjoy it cold. Once cold the caramel like sauce  thickens quite a bit but that does not make it any less tasty

Do give this recipe a try and if you do, let me know if you tried any of the twists I mentioned above 🙂

Sticky date pudding

1 cup boiling water

1 cup dates (pitted and chopped)or date puree

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 and 1/4 cups flour

1/3 cups brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8  teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/4 teaspoon cardamom (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup walnuts or pistachios

 

To make the sauce

1 and 1/2 cup boiling water

2/3 cup brown sugar

Directions

Add 1 cup boiling water to the dates and butter.

Let it stand for 15 minutes then try mashing the dates with a fork. Then add salt, nutmeg, cinnamon. cardamom and vanilla.

In another bowl mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1/3 cup brown sugar, walnuts.

Add the date mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

Pour in a non greased pan (don’t worry it won’t stick).

In a bowl dissolve 2/3 cup brown sugar in 1 and 1/2 cups boiling water  then pour them over the cake. (Don’t worry..it is written correctly…pour water on the cake… I haven’t gone mad!…yet!)

Bake in an oven that you have heated to 180 C in  the middle rack for about 45 minutes. (The time may differ from one oven to the next but you will know it is done when you insert a knife in the center and it comes out clean)

When you take it out you’ll see that the water you added OVER the cake transformed into a sauce UNDER it
 When you cut into the cake and take a piece out, you’ll find a lucious sauce under it.. it is DELICIOUS

Notes

This sticky date pudding has no eggs, so it is great if you know someone with allergies. Vegans can also enjoy it by replacing the butter with coconut oil or margarine

This is not a cake that you can flip, you can cut it in the pan and take it out in pieces.

You can serve this with fruit (oranges and strawberries are my favorite). You can also top it  with icecream, whipped cream or as is…it is yummy in any way you try it

كيكه بودينغ التمر بدون بيض

المكونات :

1 كوب من التمر المنزوع النوى

3 ملاعق كبيره زبده

1 كوب ماء مغلي

1 ملعقه صغيره فانيلا

1 ¼ كوب طحين

1/3 كوب سكر بني

3/4 ملعقه صغيره بيكربونات الصوديوم

1/2 ملعقه صغيره بيكنغ باودر

1/4 ملعقه صغيره ملح

1/4 ملعقه صغيره هيل

1/4 ملعقه صغيره قرفه

1/2 كوب جوز مفروم

لتحضير الصوص

1 1/2 كوب ماء مغلي

2/3 كوب سكر بني

الطريقة

سخني الفرن على حرارة 180 مئويه و ضعي الرف في الوسط

في وعاء مقاوم للحرارة ضعي التمر(بامكانك استخدام العجوة) و الزبده  و صبي عليهم كوب الماء المغلي

اتركيهم لمدة 15 دقيقة حتى يطرى التمر و يتشرب الماء

اهرسي التمر بالشوكه حتى يصبح المزيج ناعم و يذوب كل التمر

اضيفي معلقه الفانيلا للخليط و حركي

في وعاء اخر اخلطي الطحين و 1/3 كوب السكر و بيكربونات الصوديوم و البيكنغ باودر و القرفه و الهيل ثم اضيفي الجوزو قلبي حتى يتمازج

صبي مزيج التمر على خليط الطحين و الجوز و حركي حتى يصبح المزيج متجانسا (لا داعي للخلاط، يمكنك القيام بذلك باليد لتجنب الخفق الزائد للمزيج)

اسكبي المزيج في صينيه الخبز

اذيبي 2/3 كوب السكر في كوب و نصف ماء مغلي  و اتركيه مدة 5 دقائق ثم صبيه فوق خليط الكيك

ضعي الصينيه في الفرن

ستحتاج حوالي 45 دقيقه و لكن هذا يختلف من فرن لاخر

ستعرفين انها نضجت عندما تغرسين سكين في الوسط و تخرج نظيفه