Blackberry and Apple Pudding

A warming and traditional treat that's perfect for cold nights spent at home

Vary the fruit mixture as you wish. Pear and blackcurrant is also good (use frozen currants), or increase the apple, omit the blackberries and flavour with cinnamon. If you don't eat nuts, omit the ground and flaked almonds and sprinkle with a few pine kernels instead — they're not actually nuts, you know. 

Ingredients

• 450g peeled apples, chopped • 1 punnet of blackberries • 75g demerara sugar • juice of 1 lemon • 150g butter • 150g caster sugar • 2 eggs • 25g ground almonds • 200g self-raising flour • milk • 2tbsp flaked almonds • icing sugar

Directions

1) Sprinkle the fruit with the demerara sugar and add the lemon juice. 2) Leave the fruit to stand while making the topping. 3) Cream the butter until soft, then add the caster sugar and keep beating until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy. 4) Break the eggs into a separate bowl and add them to the mixture a little at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Fold in the ground almonds and flour. 5) Add enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency. 6) Divide the fruit between four individual heatproof dishes. 7) Spoon the cake mixture on top, spreading it right to the edges to seal in the fruit. Sprinkle the tops generously with almonds. 8) Bake at gas mark 4/180°C/ 350°F for 20 minutes or until well risen and firm. 9) Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve warm with single cream.