Desserts

Any combination of seasonal fruit can be used for this pudding such as pears, quinces, greengages, rhubarb, peaches or strawberries. Delicious served with damson and Sloe Gin cream!

Serves: 8
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

1.5kg cooking apples, plums, blackberries
a large knob of butter, plus a little extra for buttering the dish
100g of light soft brown sugar
1 tsp of ground cinnamon
½ tsp of ground ginger
2 fresh bay leaves

For the batter
200g unsalted butter, softened
180g golden caster sugar
4 large free-range eggs
150g self-raising flour
50g ground almonds
Handful of flaked almonds -optional

For the cream
200ml of double cream
1 tablespoon of damson preserve
50ml of Sloe Gin

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 350ºF/gas mark 4. Peel and core the apples and cut them into large wedges. Halve and stone the plums (their skins can be left on).

Place in a large saucepan with the butter, brown sugar, spices and bay leaves, give it a stir and stew gently for 15 minutes with the lid on. When the fruit is soft and cooked, remove the pan from the heat, discard the bay leaves add the blackberries and put to one side.

Meanwhile cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating them well, then fold in the flour and ground almonds. Grease a 20cm ovenproof baking dish and transfer the cooked fruit into the bottom of the dish and top with the batter, sprinkle with flaked almonds if using. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, until the sponge has cooked through and is golden brown.

To serve whip 200ml of double cream until it forms soft peaks. Mix the jam with the sloe gin and fold.

Healthy option

Reduce the batter quantity in half (that is a 2 egg quantity) for a thinner topping and serve with Greek yogurt mixed with the jam and sloe gin.