Pudding. If we ate it everyday we’d be the size of a bus but there’s a place for a sticky, sweet, stodgy treat. Which is around now, we reckon, when it’s not technically winter any more but it’s not bloody tropical either. And these dumplings are about the sweetest, stickiest and stodgiest we know. Flavoured with coconut and served with lashings of rich, syrupy sauce and slugs of thick coconut cream, they're a variation on the old fashioned golden syrup classic. We added coconut to the dough and made the syrup using date syrup, but you can absolutely use golden syrup if that’s what you’ve got. 

SERVES 4

185g (1¼ cups) self raising flour, plus extra, for rolling

25g (¼ cup) desiccated coconut

55g (¼ cup) caster sugar

½ tsp salt

40g butter, chopped

125ml (½ cup) coconut cream, approximately, plus extra, to serve

toasted coconut, to serve

Syrup

180ml (¾ cup) date syrup or golden syrup

110g (½ packed cup) brown sugar

40g butter

large pinch salt

250ml (1 cup) coconut cream

For the syrup, combine the date syrup, brown sugar, butter, salt and 250ml (1 cup) water in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Let the sauce boil for 2-3 minutes for it to thicken slightly. Swirl in the coconut cream to combine, then set aside while you make the dumplings.

Combine the flour, coconut, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter, then using your fingertips, rub it in until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the coconut cream and mix using a fork, then add enough extra coconut cream, if necessary, to form a firm dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, flatten into a thick disc, then divide into 16 even-sized pieces. Using your hands, roll each into a ball. 

Bring the syrup back to a simmer over medium heat, then add the dumplings in a single layer. Cover the pan, then simmer for 15-16 minutes until the dumplings have expanded and are cooked through. Divide among bowls and serve hot, with syrup spooned over and with drizzles of coconut cream and toasted coconut, to taste.