Eve's Pudding

Tonight was the debut of Eve's Pudding at our house.

This recipe is easy and delicious, and must be eaten all in one sitting. That's an order. It can be done, really.


Eve's Pudding

Sponge Cake:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 Tbsp sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Milk - to reach "right consistency"

3 apples, peeled and cored
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
pinch salt
optional - splash of cognac or calvados
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 48oz souffle pan or 1 medium pudding basin

First the apples:

1. Slice apples into thin 1/8" slices. Gently toss with 1/4 cup sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and cloves.

2. Place all in small saucepan. Toss in the butter and now's the time for that good slug of booze. Splash it in. Also a splash of water to prevent burning.

3. Bring apples to the boil, cover pan, let boil a minute then turn off heat and let apples sit COVERED. Don't touch that lid. You want to let the steam poach those apples a bit.

4. Go have a cup of coffee while the apples cool down a bit - covered.

Note - the apples should be firm sweet apples. If you can get Winesap apples they are quintessential. In the UK, I used Pink Lady - don't even ask.

Now the sponge:

1. Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In another bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a mixer until it becomes smooth and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time.

4. Alternately add in the milk and flour mixture. Do not over beat.
- This is tricky here. I suggest you add the flour mix in 1/4 cup increments. After each 1/4 cup of flour goes in, add a little splash of milk to keep the mix from tightening up. The operative word here is LITTLE. The sponge batter should be soft, satiny but thick. If you want a more exact description of how much milk and what the batter should look like - you will have to come and watch me make a pudding. And remember, don't kill the batter by mixinig it to death. Gentle. Gentle. Quick.

Now to assemble:

1. Spoon the apples into the souffle dish/pudding basin. Pour any remaining juices over the apples.

2. Spoon batter over the apples and with a flat spatula, level out the batter to form a flat seal to cover the fruit. Sprinkle the top with sugar.

3. Place on flat tray to protect from spills. Bake 45 minutes.

Serve warm with your choice of custard, whipped cream, cream