Eve’s Pudding

Perfect for a winter’s day, we devoured this yesterday after a snowy walk and a hearty roast dinner. Reminiscent of school sponge puddings, custard is the ideal accompaniment but it’ll work just as well with cream or ice cream.

Ingredients: (serves 6)
800g Bramley apples
150g butter (softened)
1 lemon (zest and juice)
150g demerara sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
Handful of flaked almonds (optional)
Handful of sultanas (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180*C and get a large ceramic baking dish ready.
2. Peel and core the apples, then roughly chop.
3. Put the chopped apples in the baking dish with the lemon juice and zest, cinnamon and demerara sugar and toss through until well combined. (You could add the sultanas here if you fancy them.)
4. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and caster sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Fold in the flour.
5. Spoon the sponge mix over the apples and spread evenly. Top with a sprinkling of Demerara sugar and the flaked almonds if using.
6. Place in the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden and well risen.
7. Ta-da! Serve with custard and enjoy!

Boston cream pie

After dropping my phone in the milk, curdling the custard, burning the chocolate (and myself) I’m afraid I may never make Boston Cream Pie again! If you think you can do better, here’s the recipe!

Ingredients:
For the sponge:
225g soft margarine
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self raising flour
2tsp baking powder
Zest of 2 oranges
1tsp vanilla extract

For the custard:
3 large egg yolks
6tbsp granulated sugar
3tbsp plain flour
350ml milk
50g unsalted butter
1.5tbsp fresh orange juice
0.5tsp vanilla extract

For the chocolate glaze:
120ml double cream
2tbsp icing sugar (sifted)
120g chocolate

Method:
1. For the cake: preheat the oven to 180*C and grease and baseline two 20cm cake tins.

Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat until well combined. Split the mixture between the two cases and bake for 25 mins or until golden brown and springy to touch. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes before transferring into a cooking rack.

2. For the custard: whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and add the sugar and flour to make a smooth paste.

Heat the milk in a pan until hot (do not boil). Slowly whisk 1/3 of the milk into the egg mixture and continue whisking until the sugar has dissolved and it is smooth. Slowly pour this mix back into the pan of milk whisking continuously.

Bring the mix to the boil and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for one minute until the sauce has thickened and holds a trail on the back of the spoon when you run your finger across it. (Careful not to burn your finger here!)

Remove from the heat and add the butter, orange juice and vanilla and stir well.

Transfer the mix into a bowl and lay a piece of cling film over the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Leave to cool to room temperature.

3.For the chocolate glaze: Melt the chocolate with the cream over a low heat, stirring continuously. Once melted, stir in the icing sugar until think and glossy.

4. Construct the cake: stir the custard until smooth and spoon onto one of the sponges. Lay the other sponge on top and pour the chocolate glaze over the top leaving to run down the sides.

Leave aside to set for at least an hour before serving.

Good luck!!