The following desserts are all easy to prepare and are ideal for a family, served with ice cream, custard or cream. The apple sponge is similar to Eve’s Pudding except that the apples are mixed completely through the sponge.
Apple Sponge
Ingredients
- 450-675g (1 to 1½ lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 100g (4oz) self-raising flour
- 100g (4oz) soft margarine
- 100g (4oz) caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 level tablespoon brown sugar
Method
- Heat oven to 190C (375F).
- Put flour, margarine, sugar, eggs and milk into a large bowl.
- Mix with a wooden spoon, then beat for 1 minute.
- Stir in the chopped apples.
- Turn into a pudding dish and spread to the sides.
- Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
- Bake in oven for about 40 minutes.
The following dessert is useful for using up breadcrumbs. Or keep fresh breadcrumbs in the freezer ready for when required.
Apple Charlotte
- Ingredients
- 900 g (2lb) cooking apples
- 4 tablespoon brown sugar
- 175g (6oz) shredded suet
- 175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
- A little cinnamon or spice is optional
Method
- Heat oven to 190C (375F).
- Mix the sugar, suet and breadcrumbs together.
- Peel, core and slice the apples thinly.
- Layer the sliced apples and crumb mixture alternately in a greased oven dish, finishing with a layer of crumbs.
- Bake in oven for about 45 minutes, until crisp and golden brown and the apples are tender.
The next recipe is a basic crumble but variations could include adding chopped nuts or oat flakes to the crumble mix.
Simple Apple Crumble
Ingredients
- 675g (1½ lb) apples
- 100g (4oz) plain flour
- 100g (4oz) sugar
- 50g (2oz) butter or margarine
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
- 50g (2oz) raisins (optional)
Method
- Heat oven to 190C (375F).
- Peel, core and slice the apples.
- Mix with the raisins (if using), lemon rind and 50g (2oz) of the sugar and place mixture into a greased oven dish.
- Place the flour, butter, cinnamon and remaining 50g of sugar into a bowl.
- Mix well with an electric mixer, gradually increasing speed until crumbly.
- Spread the mixture over the apples.
- Bake in oven for about 30 minutes.
The following light meringue pudding is ideal for anyone not wanting to eat pastry. It has the added flavour of ground almonds. To avoid using so much sugar, sweet dessert apples are an alternative and the 4oz of sugar could then be omitted.
Apple Meringue Dessert
Ingredients
- 1k (2 ½ lb) cooking apples
- 100g (4oz) sugar
- 125ml (4fl oz) water
- Rind and juice of 1 lemon
For Meringue
- 100g (4oz) caster sugar
- 50g (20z) ground almonds
- 2 egg whites
- A little cinnamon (optional)
Method
- Heat oven to 150C (300F).
- Peel, core and slice the apples thickly.
- Put into a pan and add the lemon rind and juice, sugar and water.
- Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then until apples are tender.
- Put the mixture into a shallow oven dish.
- Whisk the egg whites until forming stiff peaks.
- Gradually add the caster sugar a little at a time, whisking until stiff.
- Fold in the ground almonds.
- Spread the meringue on top of the apples.
- Bake in oven for about 30 minutes until the meringue is crisp.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon if using.
As well as these delicious puddings, there are also easy apple cake recipes which can be used for afternoon tea or as a warm dessert.
Rosemary Gemmell - Professional freelance writer of published short stories and articles in the UK, US and online. Author of historical romance and ...
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