[As I am currently on holiday, this is an edited re-posting of one of the first traditional South African desserts that I ever posted on this blog. ]
It’s a fact – South Africans do like their brandy. Not so much the sort that is meticulously aged and then consumed in tiny sips from beautiful blown-glass balloons. No, we seem to have more of a taste for the cheaper stuff (our consumption of Klipdrift is legendary…), preferably mixed with Coca-cola. In fact, I rememebr my father and mother, who were sophisticated in their tastes in practically every other way, drinking a brandy and Coke before dinner every single Saturday night that I lived at home.
Clearly it’s in the genes 😉
This is a classic South African pudding, confusingly known by at least three names: dadelpoeding (its Afrikaans name meanind date pudding), Cape brandy pudding, and tipsy tart. The last one is a misnomer in that it’s not a tart at all…. but it will definitely make you tipsy if you overindulge in the syrup!
Even friends who profess to dislike fruit puddings lick their bowls clean, and it makes a great altrenative to Christmas pudding. I should know – that’s what I served this year!
- 250g dates, roughly chopped
- 250 ml water
- 5ml bicarbonate of soda
- 100g butter, softened
- 200ml caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 250ml plain flour
- 5ml baking powder
- 100g pecan nuts, chopped
- FOR THE SYRUP:
- 250ml sugar
- 120ml water
- 120ml brandy
- 5ml vanilla essence
- 30ml butter
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Preheat the oven to 180C and grease an oven-proof dish.
- Combine the dates with the water in a small pot and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda.
- Cream together the butter, sugar and egg. Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mix together with the cooled dates and mix well.
- Mix in the nuts and pour into the greased dish. Bake for about an hour or until a skewer comes out clean
- For the syrup, boil the sugar, water, butter and vanilla essence together until the desired syrupy consistency is reached - anything from 2 to 10 minutes. Add the brandy and cinnamon and mix well.
- Serve the pudding with the syrup poured over it and top with some whipped cream (or custard if preferred).
Jamie says
March 21, 2010 at 10:28 amOooh I like the name Tipsy Tart! And luscious this pudding does indeed look! Yum! Personally I have the anti-alcohol genes but give it to me in a dessert that looks this delicious and I, too, may just lick the bowl clean!
Maninas says
March 21, 2010 at 11:26 amI love the name of this pudding! 😉
Enjoy your trip!
Wizzythestick says
March 21, 2010 at 8:08 pmThis pudding looks divine.
Myfrenchkitchen says
March 22, 2010 at 4:37 pmDelicious Jeeanne! I had an aunt who made the most incredible tipsy tart…I never stopped at only one piece/slice(she baked it in a long pyrex tart pan and cut it into squares) along with peppermint crisp tart, it was my favorite. I could eat till I drop…mind you perhaps it was the tipsy tart that made me drop..
Now you just have to post a peppermint crisp tart too..
Ronell
Thea Thomas (Griet`s World) says
March 22, 2010 at 5:22 pmDear Jeanne.
Thank you so much for your informative talk(s) on Saturday. Although I am not a “foodie” I learned alot.
Sarah, Maison Cupcake says
March 22, 2010 at 10:26 pmI love fruity puddings, cakes and Christmas pudding so I bet I’d really like this. Hope you are having great time whilst you are away.
nina says
March 23, 2010 at 7:05 amThis is a favorite my mom makes whenever we go and visit. Thank you for re-posting and make me pick up the phone to say “Hello ma!”
bigjobsboard says
March 23, 2010 at 8:54 amWow. That’s the most elegant thing I’ve ever seen in a plate! LOL Thanks a lot! This just made me hungry again! I just had my lunch! LOL
Rosemary says
March 23, 2010 at 10:39 amWhile I don’t share my compatriots love for Klippies and Coke, I love this pudding.
Marisa says
March 23, 2010 at 12:02 pmOoooh yay – thanks for the recipe Jeanne. Never knew it contained dates! Always just called it “tipsy tert” at home. I have a feeling this is going to feature prominently in the next few months…
tasteofbeirut says
March 23, 2010 at 12:48 pmI can see why your fellow countrymen love it! dates and a splash of brandy? sure! I want some!
Manggy says
March 23, 2010 at 2:06 pmI hope you’re having a great time Jeanne! I love a good, deeply flavored pud – and dates are just the proverbial icing on this cake!
Mowie @ Mowielicious says
March 23, 2010 at 3:46 pmCute name! Loving the ingredients, with the dates and the nuts and the vanilla – yummy!
Rebecca Lynn says
March 28, 2010 at 10:17 pmThis pudding looks phenomenal. I can’t wait to make it. You made my Top Nine of the week this week. I love your blog!!
courtney says
April 1, 2010 at 8:10 pmThe famous pudding. you have tuned me onto to baking with brandy. Love it!
Bordeaux says
April 6, 2010 at 10:51 pmI still have not tried making brandy pudding. Maybe we’ll try making it for the in-laws while here in the States!
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet says
May 14, 2010 at 9:12 pmOh, so Cape Brandy Tart and Tipsy Tart is the same thing? Geez, so much for me being a South African! I do love both though! 😀 And yes, I hate Christmas pudding but give me this dessert any day!
Kim says
December 21, 2015 at 12:50 pmFantastic recipe. This is my holiday-entertainment cake. Make ahead of time than serve warm with whipped cream. Nothing better or easier.
Maybe Cheese cake?
Karen says
February 19, 2016 at 1:03 amHi. I love this recipe and am making it while visiting my mum. So I haven’t got my usual version of the recipe with me and Google has led me to your version. I’m confused by measuring flour and sugar by the ‘ml’. For the flour, do you mean 250 grams? Or do you mean 1 cup (equivalent of 250ml of liquid)?? Thanks (from an Aussie)
Lisa says
October 21, 2016 at 6:18 pmAbsolutely amazing, my hubby been asking for ages for a tipsy tart, I had no clue what is was and this recipe worked out amazing, thank you
Magrieta says
November 3, 2017 at 10:27 amThank you for your Tipsy Tart recipe. I live in Germany and all my SA cook books are still in South Africa. My friends here love Tipsy Tart and I am so happy to have found yours. Do you have a Lemon Meringue Pie recipe without condensed milk?
Jan Canovas says
December 13, 2017 at 2:41 pmBeing a South African living in Spain, I was thrilled to find this blog Cooksister, with real SA recipies, I only have one old SA recipe book and now look forward to seeing any e-mail updates. Looking forward to trying this delicious sounding desert.
Thank you, and regards,
Jan
DIANA KENNEY says
April 14, 2019 at 7:21 pmhow far in advance can you make tipsy tart and how best to store it please