I’m always on the hunt for good apple recipes and this one is a winner.
First off, it uses quite a few apples. I mean, how many times have you thought, right I’m going to make this recipe to use up apples and then you end up using say, an apple and a half.
Secondly, it’s really good.
And thirdly, it’s pretty simple. OK it’s not dead easy – caramel sauce is always a little tricky/annoying, but I did make this with my two year old. I think that speaks for itself.
If you find yourself annoyed at the steps what I often do is prep a step then leave it… especially when dealing with a two year old. Together we prepped the spring form pan. He was able to spread the butter and help trace the parchment paper. Then we cut the apples. To be honest, he ended up eating more apples than anything plus even though I gave him a butter knife I was a little nervous at the way he was shoving it through the apples. Then we left it a while.
We came back later and measured the dry ingredients. He then tipped half the dry ingredients onto the counter. argh. So we left it.
We came back a little later and mixed the butter and sugar together. He loves that bit (turning on the stand mixer) and I think it’s the most successful part of the entire operation. Least successful is me trying to get him to stop eating the batter which contains raw eggs…
A few points:
- The batter looks really dry. I kept checking my ingredient list, but realized all the juices from the apples and plums would probably help it out and it did.
- I wouldn’t skip the pecans. I liked the added crunch and texture.
- I had to cook this a good 20 minutes longer than suggested. I do believe my oven is pretty accurate, but… I’ve never actually tested it. Use your instinct. If it looks raw I’d rather have drier sponge than raw sponge. Plus the caramel sauce will always moisten it.
- I would make the caramel sauce… I don’t think it would be nearly as good without it (is anything?)
- Eat it warm! This doesn’t mean you have to eat it all right away… microwaves are our friend.
This recipe is taken from The Great British Book of Baking that accompanied the first BBC series of The Great British Bake Off. I omitted the glacé ginger from the sponge and rum from the caramel sauce. It’s just not my taste.
Regarding the cookbook, I do recommend it if you are looking for less sugary, more tea time desserts. My only negative, and it’s personal taste, is that a lot of the recipes contain raisins as British baking tends to do. I have gotten quite a few winners from it though including this Sticky Toffee Pudding.
- 115g unsalted butter, very soft
- 175g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 1 medium egg
- 150g plain flour
- 1tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1tsp ground cinnamon
- ½tsp grated nutmeg
- 100g pecans, finely chopped
- 4 medium apples peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces
- 3 plums, stoned and cut into 1cm pieces
- For the Caramel Sauce
- 200g caster (superfine) sugar
- 225ml whipping cream at room temp
- 20g unsalted butter
- 1tsp vanilla extract
- Heat oven to 350F
- Prepare a 22cm springform pan - grease with butter and line base with parchment paper
- Put butter into a mixing bowl and add sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and beat until combined.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.
- Add to the butter/sugar mixture and thoroughly combine.
- Fold in the fruit.
- Spoon pudding mixture into tin and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30 - 40 minutes (or more!) until top is golden brown and the sponge springs back when lightly pressed.
- Remove tin from oven and run a knife or thin spatula around the inside to loose and unmould.
- While sponge is cooking make the sauce
- Put the sugar into a heavy-based medium pan and set over low to medium heat.
- When sugar starts to melt gently use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently draw melted edges into the centre so that the sugar melts and turns an even dark caramel.
- Remove pan from heat and pour in half the cream. WARNING: It will bubble and steam so watch your hands as it will be VERY hot (you may want to cover your hands or use an oven mitt)
- Once bubbling is done stir in the rest of the cream and return pan to heat.
- Stir until sauce is smooth and lumps have melted (this took me a while)
- Remove from heat and add vanilla.
- Eat warm
ps If you are looking for more winning apple recipes see links below!
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Michelle Little
Writer & Photographer
I can just imagine your two year old helping out in the kitchen… Adorable! Thanks for sharing, and for the book recommendation. I happen to be a fan of raisiny treats.
Thanks – it was adorable and a little frustrating but we got there!
Wonderful post. Thanks so much for sharing. Greetings from Montreal. 🙂