Toffee apple self-saucing pudding
This gooey pudding has a sweet apple sauce at its base and makes a delightful winter dessert.
Ingredients
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú unsalted butter, softened
- 120²µ/4¼´Ç³ú caster sugar
- 2–3 Bramley apples, peeled, cored, and roughly chopped into 2.5cm/1in chunks (roughly 250g/9oz chunks)
- 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 150²µ/5½´Ç³ú self-raising flour
- pinch fine salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp full-fat milk
- 400ml/14fl oz cloudy apple juice
- 25g/1oz cornflour
- 60g/2¼oz dark brown sugar
For the cognac custard
- 500ml/18fl oz plus 2 tbsp whole milk
- 500ml/18fl oz double cream
- 1 vanilla pod (bean), split lengthways
- 120g/4½oz caster (superfine) sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp custard powder
- 20ml–50ml/½fl oz– 2fl oz cognac
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Cream the butter and caster sugar together in a stand mixer or by hand in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Place the apple chunks in a 20cm/8in round ovenproof dish or baking tin with a sealed base (this is important so that the sauce doesn't leak out). There should be enough apple to cover the base. Add the eggs to the butter mixture and beat in, then add the flour, salt and cinnamon. Pour in the milk and stir together to form a batter. Spoon the batter over the apples in the dish.
Warm the apple juice gently in a saucepan and place the cornflour in a heatproof bowl. When the apple juice is warm, pour it over the cornflour and stir continuously until thoroughly mixed.
Scatter the brown sugar over the top of the batter in the dish. Pour the apple juice mixture evenly over the batter and place the dish on a baking tray. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake part comes out clean (if the skewer goes all the way to the bottom, it will touch the apple sauce).
To make the cognac custard, stir together the milk, cream, and vanilla in a saucepan with half of the sugar, and place over a medium heat. (Using only half the sugar first stops the milk from catching.)
Meanwhile, in a separate heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar to combine and the custard powder. When the milk is steaming hot and just about to come to the boil (do not let it boil), slowly pour roughly two thirds of it over the yolks, whisking vigorously as you pour, until smooth and combined. Pour the yolk mix back into the pan over a low heat with the remaining milk and whisk well to incorporate.
Switch to a spatula, keep the heat low, and gently stir with your spatula for 5–7 minutes. You are aiming to gently bring it to 82°C/180°F. When the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon it’s ready. Remove the vanilla pod and serve hot or pour the custard into a bowl and leave to cool. Add the cognac once the custard is off the heat.
Serve the pudding warm with the cognac custard.