Almost all English/Irish apple recipes call for Bramley apples, but I’ve never found them in the U.S. All you really need is a good all-purpose cooking apple, that holds its shape during cooking and had a nice flavor. I used Cortlands, but there are plenty of other varieties.
Steamed Apple Sponge Pudding
Ingredients:
12 oz. cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced (this turned out to be two good-sized Cortlands)
1 oz butter
4 oz sugar
Sponge:
4 oz (1 stick) butter
5 oz sugar
2 eggs plus 1 additional egg yolk
7 oz self-rising flour (if you don’t have any, you can make your own by combining 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, sifted together)
2 Tblsp whole milk
finely grated rind and juice of half a lemon
Instructions:
Put the apples in a saucepan with one Tblsp butter and 1 Tblsp water and cook on low until the apples are soft. Stir in the sugar.
Use the rest of the butter of grease a 2-pint pudding basin or 6 individual molds holding 6 fluid oz. each. Spoon the apple mixture into the bottom.
For the sponge, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the two eggs and the yolk, beating well after each addition.
Fold in the flour, milk, lemon rind and lemon juice.
Spoon the sponge mixture over the apples in the basins or molds. The total should come three-quarters of the way up the sides of the molds.
Cover the mold(s) with buttered foil and place in a steamer or a large saucepan half-full of simmering water.
Place a cover on the steamer. Steam over low heat for 20-30 minutes if using individual molds, or 1 to 1-1/2 hours if a large single mold. Top off the water with additional boiling water if the level gets too low.
To serve, turn the sponge(s) onto a plate or plates and top with whipped cream or custard. Serve hot.
This dessert is quick and easy to make, although it does take up one burner for well over an hour. The sponge is not very sweet, but you can add sweetness if you want by using sugar in your whipped cream.
Nipped in the Bud will be released in print at the end of this month (no, it's not quite ready for pre-order yet, but I'll let you now when it is!)
www.sheilaconnolly.com
The recipe sounds easy. I do need to try my hand at a steamed pudding.
ReplyDeleteI really like the book cover. I am glad it will be out soon!
I have a pudding mold for my CrockPot that will be perfect for this recipe. Thanks for sharing the recipe! It looks really good & I think my husband (who loves apple pie) will like it.
ReplyDeleteOK, I am intrigued.
ReplyDelete1-Is that a bunt pan you show in the photo? The pan appears wider at the top, but the sponge came out straight. How is that?
2-"Use the rest of the butter of grease a 2-pint pudding basin" The rest of what butter since you call for butter in the sponge? Also, I bet that's supposed to be "to butter a 2-pint..."
3-You show the basin/bunt pan covered with foil. But how do you cover the steamer with the pan in it? I don't see it covered in the picture.
You can't say I don't look at these recipes!