Old Fashioned Apple Batter

I see January as an excuse to use up stuff left over from the excesses of December, and today’s recipe is particularly appropriate – although I have to say I’d welcome this comfort-eating pudding any day of the year!

I had some eggs that need to be used, and I discovered 3 perfect Bramley apples on the shelf in the back porch. Therefore it felt like fate when I found this recipe in a tiny 1986 Cookery book (costing 50p), in a Charity shop last week.

I remember hearing about my late Mother-in Law’s Apple Batter, still referred to in hushed tones by all the family.. so I absolutely had to give it a go!

Warning! – this pudding isn’t going to win any beauty contests, but it is seriously delicious!

Use any apples you like for this pudding –  it’s great for clearing out the fruit bowl. And speaking of fruit bowls – don’t forget to use those blackened Bananas to make my famous Banana Bread! https://eatingforireland.com/recipe/banana-bread/

EQUIPMENT:

• Weighing scales
• Ovenproof  baking dish – about 5cms deep – I use my large Lasagne dish
• Sieve
• Small Frying pan
• Bowl/large jug
• Hand or Electric whisk – I do this by hand.

INGREDIENTS: This will feed 6 generously.

• 3-4 medium-large apples – my prepared apple weighed 600g today.
• A tablespoon or so of lemon juice.
• 50g butter, plus some for greasing the baking dish.
• Finely grated rind of an orange.
• 1 teaspoon of ground Cinnamon
• 25-30g Raisins

Batter ingredients:                                            

• 100g Plain Flour
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 300mls Milk – or 1 tablespoon of Brandy or Calvados, made up to 300mls with the milk.
• 50g Caster sugar – I use Golden Caster.
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla paste or extract.

To serve:

• Pouring cream or Custard

METHOD:  ** for ‘Get Ahead’ instructions –  see the top of the NOTES section below**

• Generously grease the baking dish with butter.
• Peel, core, and cut the Apples into quarters, or 8ths if they’re big, then sprinkle with the lemon juice.
• Put to one side while you measure out the batter ingredients
•  Sift the Flour into the bowl/jug.
• Grate the Orange zest, and reserve.
• Heat the oven to 170 degrees Fan
• Melt the 50g of Butter in the frying pan, and gently fry the Apples until they are just slightly browned on all sides  – about 5 minutes or so.

• Add the Orange zest, Cinnamon powder and Raisins to the frying pan
• Mix well, then transfer the whole lot to the Baking dish – remember to scrape all the cooking juices from the pan into the dish too.

Make the Batter:

• Sift the flour  into the bowl.
• Make a well in the flour,  add the eggs and start to whisk them in, adding the Milk gradually until you have a smooth batter.
• Mix in the sugar.
• Pour the whole jug of Batter evenly over the Apples in the dish, and transfer to the oven

• Bake for 35-40 minutes until the batter has puffed up beautifully, and the apples are tender.
• Cool for 5 minutes, then serve with some pouring cream, or Mr Saturday Night’s suggestion – Custard  (isn’t it always ;))

To prepare ahead:

• Prepare and fry off the Apples, Orange zest and Cinnamon in the butter as above.
• Put them into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly.
• Cover with a reusable cover (see picture) or Cling film, and leave in a cool place (not the fridge)

• Make up the Batter as instructed, cover, and refrigerate.

30-40  minutes before you want to eat the pudding:

• Preheat the oven to 200 Fan,
• Remove the cover, and put the baking dish and its contents into the oven for 10 minutes.
•  Pour the batter over the apples, return to the oven and cook at 200Fan for 10 minutes, then reduce to 170 Fan for 30-40 minutes until the batter is risen and golden.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes – the apples will be very hot – then serve.

NOTES:

•  If you’ve ever made your own Yorkshire Puddings for a roast dinner you’ll recognise the     ingredients – apart from the sugar, brandy etc. The batter rises up around the apple sections, swaddling them with its protective layer. Giving you soft Apple, and crunchy Batter – yum!
• The apples are seriously hot when they come out of the oven, so do give it 5-10 minutes to cool a little.
• The batter will drop slightly when it comes out of the oven, but it’s not a problem.
• The orange zest with the apples, and the addition of the Brandy and Vanilla paste to the Batter mixture is well worth doing – the flavours are delicious, and enhanced if you allow the dish to cool a little.