Dates

Nadia Lim's sticky date pudding is so irresistible it will have you licking the bowl! The dates create such a gorgeous texture and sweetness, and that butterscotch sauce is just pure heaven.

Indulge your inner chocoholic with this divine slice. With a silky layer of medjool date caramel and a crunchy dark chocolate and peanut topping, this vegan slice is bound to stake a claim as your favourite sweet treat.

Ricotta, a fabulously versatile cheese with a mild flavour and creamy texture, is used extensively in Italian desserts. Here, it's the star of our beautiful coffee hazelnut cake, acting as a silky filling between layers.

Make yourself a luxurious dessert with this silky-smooth dark chocolate and ricotta mousse. Sweetened by Medjool dates and honey, with delightful crunches from pomegranate seeds and pistachios, this recipe is a delight!

Turn a healthy treat into an Easter delight with these bliss eggs! Choose either the cacao and almond or the macadamia and apricot and enjoy a delicious little ball of nuts, dried fruit and coconut.

Next time you crave a sugar fix, try a batch of these raw twicker bars - they're dairy free, gluten free and completely free of refined sugar! They're also incredibly delish and so easy to make, could you get any better?

This mini date and pistachio loaf cake recipe creates the perfect bake for sharing! Small yet satisfying, these little loaves will be delicious served at your next morning tea drizzled with espresso syrup

Loaded with good-for-you ingredients, these seedy chocolate muesli bars are not only ridiculously delicious, they're also packed with fibre and healthy fats to give you lasting energy

These raw chocolate brownies are heavenly! They're gooey, sweet and incredibly satisfying. All you need is 4 ingredients and a food processor and you’re good to go!

Brick Mill Café shares the recipe for their famous cappuccino and date slice. Serve this slice with a hot cup of tea or coffee for the ultimate afternoon treat

These tasty devils on horseback are incredibly easy to make and will be perfect served as a starter at your next dinner party or family gathering

This scrumptious date and raisin pie is great garnished with orange zest and enjoyed for dessert served with freshly whipped cream

Shelley’s Café and Larder shares the recipe for their famous date pinwheels. Fluffy, sweet and spiked with cinnamon, it's no wonder these baked treats are famous in Blenheim

A healthy treat you can feel good about eating! This bliss balls recipe is natural, wholesome, and deliciously satisfying! Try rolling in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, coconut or seeds for a pretty finish

Tauranga's Nourish Café shares the recipe for their much-loved date scones. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy with a hot cup of tea or coffee

This easy date, nut and oat biscuit recipe is a delicious tin-filler. Perfect with a cup of tea or glass of milk, these biscuits are also diabetes-friendly

Add an extra depth of flavour with this deliciously sweet date and rose pomegranate molasses from The Australian Women's Weekly 'Made from Scratch' cookbook

These individual puddings are different from the usual sticky date dessert - they're made with quinoa, so they're gluten-free.

Long gone is the dried handful of nuts & raisins we grew up with - this moist dense cake will without doubt sustain all your explorers. It contains goodness from walnuts, almonds and dates but isn’t without decadence – she sports a sweet creamy caramel coconut topping. Just the thing to enjoy with a thermos of hot tea on the riverbank or even with friends and a cuppa at home.

Chicken salad with a citrus zing! This healthy lean salad is easy to prepare for lunching guests or take to work for lunch. And it's suitable for diabetics.

Full of seeds, nuts and grains with the added benefit of molasses and salted dark chocolate – consider this slice a rather fancy scroggin in an easy-to-eat bar. Photography by Jani Shepherd.

Sticky date crumble puddings

A classic sticky date pudding recipe that can be enjoyed by those who are gluten-free

A beautiful date slice topped with a silky lemon icing - the ideal date and lemon slice recipe

A healthy treat you can feel good about eating! These chia and almond bliss balls are natural, wholsome, and deliciously satisfying!

I like to kid myself that this wonderful chocolate cake is so full of quinoa, I can eat as much as I like! For the refined sugar-free version, skip the frosting.

Sweet and sticky toffee date puddings - the ultimate dessert! With the perfect combination of flavour and texture, these puddings will have you screaming out for more!

These delicious little carrot cakes make the perfect lunchbox addition. The kids won't even know they're sugar-free!

These little salted date caramels will keep you full and provide the perfect afternoon pick-me-up without the refined sugar.

An old favourite recipe with chewy, flavoursome dates and ginger, and crunchy cornflakes.

This delicious pudding mixes a sweet, oozing caramel sauce with crunchy pecans and chewy dates.

Add a delicious crunch to the classic sticky date pudding with roasted nuts.

This is a fun twist on the traditional bread and butter pudding.

Get your just desserts this winter with these perfect puds.

Fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey are a sweet addition.

The salty feta balances out the sweetness of the dates, basil and cherry tomatoes.

It’s time to dig out the slow cooker and make the most of cheaper cuts of meat. Get them chugging away early in the day, so that by dinnertime the house is filled with gorgeous savoury aromas and you’ll have everyone clamouring around.

A crisp base and sweet citrus syrup make this almond cheesecake a divine dessert for all.

If desired, sprinkle top of uncooked muffins with a few extra oats. Note

Dates make this cake super moist and full of flavour without being heavy.

While they may be a tough nut to crack, they are an easy nut to turn into tempting sweet treats.

Scalded milk is boiled milk that has been removed from heat once it reaches boiling point. For an even lower-fat custard, prepare with custard powder and low-fat milk following packet directions. Note

Create a delicious morning tea treat with this simple banana and date loaf. The best part is that it's free of gluten - so everyone can enjoy this moreish recipe!

Dried apricots or sultanas would also taste delicious instead of dates in this recipe. Note

Not suitable to freeze. Ganache suitable to microwave. Note

Drizzled with a sweet homemade chocolate butterscotch sauce this warm sticky date cake with vanilla ice cream is an incredibly indulgent dessert that is sure to make your taste buds sing.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Glace figs, ginger, pineapple and cherries combine with a medley of nuts, all encased in chewy chocolate caramel.

There is a heavy Middle Eastern influence with this open sandwich. Lamb, dates, chilli, zucchini – what a great mix. Enjoy on warmed pide or try it as a salad.

To avoid the pan boiling dry, check it every 10 to 15 minutes. Try putting a few five-cent coins in the pan -if you can’t hear the coins jiggling, the water has evaporated or stopped boiling. Pudding can be made up to one week ahead. Note

To make individual puddings, divide mixture between 10 x 1/3 cup-capacity muffin holes and bake for 20 mins. Note

Ask your butcher to cut shanks in half. To prepare couscous, place 1 cup couscous in a medium heatproof bowl; stir in 1 cup boiling water. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside 5 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Using a fork, fluff and separate grains. Note

Look far banana chips in the health food aisle of major supermarkets or at health food stores. Replace walnuts with pecans or brazil nuts. Note

Decorate with extra dates and nuts halfway through baking. Note

You could cook pudding in a 6-hole (3/4-cup) Texas muffin pan. Line base of holes with baking paper. Divide mixture eveniy between holes. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C/160°C fan forced for 25 minutes. Caramel topping: Makes 3/4 cup Note

Rich, sweet and decadent, this gluten-free dessert is beautiful served with a dollop of cool ice-cream or fresh cream.

Warm date-laced cake, soaked and drizzled with a luscious chocolate butterscotch sauce. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this chocolate sticky date pudding will make your taste buds sing.

This cake looks as good as it tastes, with the aroma of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

Serve immediately after baking or pudding will soak up sauce on standing. Note

Replace mixed spice with ground cinnamon, ginger or vanilla essence. Note

Makes 36 Wrap dough in plastic food wrap; freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Cookies are soft when they come out of the oven but firm up on cooling. Note

Replace dates with 1/2 cup chopped nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts; price will vary. Note

Snip dried fruit into small pieces with kitchen scissors. Note

To sterilise jars, put cleaned jars on a baking tray in a warm oven, 150°C, for 10 minutes. Remove, cool slightly. Note

makes 4 cups Test for “gel” by placing some jam on a chilled plate. It’s ready if wrinkles form when touched. Sterilise jars in 150°C oven for 10-15 minutes. Note

Test muffins with a skewer – if it comes out clean and dry, they are cooked. These muffins are best served warm. Note

If you prefer, add 1 cup grated carrot to the mixture in place of 1 banana. Note

Insert a skewer into centre of pudding – if it comes out clean the pudding is cooked. Note

Nut loaf tins are available from speciality kitchenware shops. Note

These scrumptious date scones are brilliant enjoyed with friends and family for afternoon tea accompanied with a hot cup of tea or coffee

To warm honey, measure it into a small, microwave-safe bowl using an oiled spoon. Heat in microwave on high (100%) power 10 seconds. Note

Add some extra chopped walnuts or pecans to cake mixture if desired – but remember this will increase the fat content. Light evaporated milk, thickened with cornflour, can be substituted for cream in many dishes, sweet and savoury. Note

Press base mixture firmly into slice pan using a fork or the base of a glass. This will help prevent the slice crumbling when you cut it. Note

Sticky date pudding is the ultimate in dessert indulgence and perfect for a chilly night in. Soft, sweet, buttery pudding enrobed in a gorgeous butterscotch sauce.

Soft, sweet, buttery pudding enrobed in a gorgeous butterscotch sauce is the perfect dessert on a cold winter�s night. This sticky date pudding recipe is the ultimate dessert indulgence.

MAKES 12 Note

MAKES 12 These muffins can be made with normal white flour if preferred. It gives a lighter result than wholemeal flour. Note

Sweet, rich and utterly decadent, these gorgeous desserts are packed full of fresh dates and are beautiful enjoyed warm with a dollop of fresh cream or ice-cream.