Low sugar baking: Sticky toffee pudding

Forget shop-bought puddings laden with sugar, you can make your own sugar-free sticky toffee pudding instead. Maple syrup and dates are all you need to naturally sweeten this simple recipe

Serves 4

175g pitted dried dates
175ml boiling water
150ml maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla seed paste
2 large eggs, separated
85g self-raising flour

Method:

1 Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas mark 4. Grease four pudding basins. Put the dates in a saucepan and water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Put in a food processor and whizz with 6 tbsp maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.

2 Transfer the mixture to a bowl and beat in the egg yolks and flour. In another clean, grease-free bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, and then fold into the date mixture in three goes.

3 Put 1 tbsp maple syrup into the base of each pudding basin, and divide the cake mixture evenly. Cover each tightly with foil and stand in a roasting tin. Pour hot water into the tin, so that it comes halfway up the sides of the moulds. Bake for 1 hour.

4 To serve, carefully remove and discard the foil, upturn on to plates and serve with Greek yoghurt.