BUTTERSCOTCH & APPLE SELF-SAUCING PUDDING

June 23, 2021

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And just like that the winter solstice has come and gone and we start heading towards the light again. Winter has well and truly arrived at the Top of the South this week, which incidentally coincides with the northern hemisphere change of the seasons that fall on the solstice or equinox (i.e. winter starts on 21st December). In New Zealand, we observe the meteorological start of a season at the beginning of the month (winter = 1st June). This is chosen so to keep record keeping simple.

Personally, I am not sure which one is more accurate. Having experienced the change of seasons while living in Canada with a clear mark in the sand for when they begin and end it made complete sense to fall on the solstice or equinox. However, for our less defined seasons that roll into each other having a starting point at the beginning of a month possibly makes more sense. Anyway, something to ponder from the workings of my brain this week.

Now for this fabulous recipe – which I know you are really here for rather than my musings 😉

Apple and caramel are such a glorious match. Today I share a recipe using this combination. A magical self-saucing pudding, of which you will notice the addition of a pinch of salt – something I often add to sweet recipes as it helps to balance and enhance the sweetness. It works particularly well with a rich caramel sauce.

Butterscotch & Apple Self Saucing Pudding

Here is a twist on the clever self-saucing pudding with the addition of tender apple pieces and a rich butterscotch sauce. It will forever amaze me how self-saucing puddings go into the oven drenched in liquid, only to come out transformed into a soft cake, with a luscious sauce beneath. Cooking truly is magical.

Servings 8

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 3 cooking apples such as Granny Smith - peeled and cut into thin wedges
• 80 g butter
• ⅓ cup (50g) lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 room temperature eggs
• 1 ¼ cups (170g) standard flour (can use gluten-free flour)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ⅓ cup (80g) natural unsweetened yoghurt
• ⅓ cup (50g) lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp golden syrup or maple syrup
• 1 tbsp corn flour or tapioca flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cups (375ml) boiling water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C).
• Prepare the apples and place them into the base of a baking dish, approximately 20 x 25cm.
• In a stand mixer, or using handheld beaters, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and beat until thick and creamy.
• Combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl and use a whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients along with the yoghurt to the butter mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold together into a thick batter. Spread evenly over the apple pieces.
• In a jug, combine the sauce ingredients and mix well until the sugar is dissolved. Slowly pour the sauce over the back of a spoon onto the top of the cake batter. The spoon trick will evenly disperse the sauce onto the pudding without disturbing the batter.
• Place the dish into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Leave to cool for 10 minutes then serve – with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if that’s your thing 😉