Camp Oven Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce

Camp Oven Sticky Date Pudding with Toffee Sauce: The Winter Camp Classic There is a moment on every winter camping trip when the temperature drops, the fire settles into a deep bed of coals, and the conversation turns to dessert. The marshmallows have been done. The damper has been demolished. What you need is something that feels properly indulgent — the kind of dessert that makes a cold night in the bush feel like a celebration. Enter the camp oven sticky date pudding. This is the dessert that turns a good camp dinner into a memorable one. It is forgiving, foolproof and deeply satisfying — a dark, glossy pudding steamed gently in the coals, drowned in warm toffee sauce and topped with a melting spoon of cream. It takes a little patience, but the camp oven does most of the work while you sit by the fire. What you need Ingredients (Serves 4-6) *For the pudding:* 250g pitted dates, roughly chopped 250ml boiling water 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 100g butter, softened 165g brown sugar 2 large eggs 200g self-raising flour, sifted *For the toffee sauce:* 100g butter 150g brown sugar 250ml thickened cream *To serve:* Cream, ice cream or custard Gear Camp oven (12 inch / 30cm) with a lid Small heatproof bowl that fits inside the camp oven A fire with a good bed of steady coals Long-handled tongs and heatproof gloves Mixing bowl, whisk and a spatula How to make it Get the fire ready. You need a deep bed of steady, glowing coals — no high flames. Start the fire an hour before you want to cook so the coals are well established. Soak the dates. Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften. Cream the butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Combine the mixture. Gently fold the sifted flour into the butter mixture, then stir through the date mixture (including the soaking water). Mix until just combined — don't overwork it. Prepare the steamer. Grease the heatproof bowl well, pour in the pudding mixture and cover tightly with foil. This stops condensation from dripping into the pudding. Set up the camp oven. Place a small trivet or a few clean pebbles in the bottom of the camp oven. Sit the covered bowl on top, then pour about 2cm of hot water into the base — this creates the steam bath. Cook in the coals. Place the lid on the camp oven and set it over a bed of coals. Add a few coals on top of the lid for even heat. Steam for 45-55 minutes, checking every 15 minutes to top up the water if needed. Test for doneness. Insert a skewer into the centre of the pudding — it should come out clean. If not, return the lid and cook for another 10 minutes. Make the toffee sauce. While the pudding steams, melt the butter, brown sugar and cream in a small saucepan over the fire or a gas stove. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until thick and glossy. 10. Serve. Turn the pudding out onto a plate, pour over the warm toffee sauce and serve immediately with cream or ice cream. Camp tips Prep at home: Measure all the dry ingredients into a ziplock bag and chop the dates before you leave. At camp, it's a 10-minute mix before the pudding goes in the coals. Don't skip the foil: The foil seal is what keeps the pudding moist. If it's loose, you get a dry cake instead of a sticky pudding. Swap the toffee: No cream on hand? Use full-cream milk plus a tablespoon of butter — it still makes a great sauce. Make it ahead: The pudding actually improves overnight. Cook it the night before, reheat in the coals with extra sauce, and serve as a Sunday breakfast treat. Leftovers: Any leftover pudding keeps for days in the esky or Engel. Slice and warm through with extra sauce for a quick dessert. Closer + cross-sell A camp oven dessert like this is the perfect way to end a long day on the tracks, and having the right gear makes it effortless. To keep your dates, cream and butter fresh for days in the bush, a reliable 12V fridge setup is essential — check out our 12V Accessories collection for the power solutions that keep your camp kitchen running. And if you're still cooking with a worn-out camp oven, a quality cast-iron pot will change your winter camp cooking forever.