Banana date pudding

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 50g whole hazelnuts
• 160g (1 cup) fresh pitted dates, chopped
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 large bananas, chopped
• 125g (2⁄3 cup lightly packed) brown or rapadura sugar
• 80ml (1⁄3 cup) hazelnut* or olive oil
• 185g (1¼ cups) self-raising flour
• Cream (optional), to serve
• Extra chopped hazelnuts, to serve

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease six 375ml (1½ cup) ramekins or small ovenproof bowls and place a small square of baking paper in the base of each. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and cook for eight minutes, or until lightly toasted. Finely chop and set aside.

Place the dates, bicarbonate of soda and 310ml (1¼ cups) boiling water in a bowl. Leave to stand for five minutes. Transfer to a food processor and add the banana, sugar and oil. Process until almost smooth. Add the flour and pulse for two to three seconds until just combined. Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins or bowls. Top each with extra chopped hazelnuts.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the puddings comes out clean. (Place a sheet of foil over the puddings if they start to get too brown during cooking.)

Serve the warm puddings in their bowls with cream, if desired.

*I adore hazelnut oil and use it wherever I can, but it can be a bit pricey and tricky to source, so feel free to use olive oil instead.

Recipe and image from Something for Everyone by Louise Fulton Keats

Next: Almond butter, banana and date sandwich