Steamed Apple Vanilla English Pudding

Despite the bad reputation that British cuisine has, it is undeniable that the pastries are incredibly rich and varied. Years ago, during my time as an English student, I discovered them and fell in love with them immediately, but it was not until I adopted a British family policy that my eyes were opened to homemade sweets. They are another world.

One of the things that really catches my attention (and has done so ever since I started to delve into the subject of British baking) is the making of steamed cakes . The fact that it doesn't depend on the oven seems great to me, as it is a welcome alternative in the hot months when we find it a nightmare to turn on the appliance in question.

To make a “steamed pudding”, as it is called in the islands, or more specifically this steamed apple and vanilla pudding , you need a suitable mould and a pressure cooker large enough to accommodate the former. It is also important to cover the mould well with folded greaseproof paper (to leave room for the cake to rise happily) and tie it tightly so that the water does not leak in during cooking.

This type of cooking results in a moist pudding or sponge cake , slightly more compact than the one baked in the oven. For a truly “British” experience , I recommend accompanying it with custard , a scoop of vanilla or a splash of heavy cream. Not to forget the cup of tea, with its cloud of milk...of course!

Laura Ashley porcelain milk jug , Laura Ashley tea towel , Laura Ashley porcelain plates, Kitchen Craft pudding mould and Pallarès carbon steel knife .

Ingredients (for 6 people)

• Half a Golden Apple
• 6 tablespoons of honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
• 150gr of butter + extra to grease the mold
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 eggs size L (120gr)
• 150gr of wheat flour
• 100gr of sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (baking powder)
• 4 tablespoons of milk
• 2 liters of boiling water

Elaboration

1. Grease a 1-litre pudding mould with a little butter, covering the base and sides well. Cover the base with honey and sprinkle the fresh breadcrumbs on top. Using a sharp knife , peel, core and dice the apple and cover the base of the mould with it.
2. In a deep bowl , we blanch the butter, which should be at room temperature, together with the sugar. That is, we beat vigorously until the mixture is creamy and pale.
3. Grate the whole lemon and squeeze only half of it. Add the lemon zest and juice, the vanilla essence and the eggs, one by one, without adding the second until the first is well integrated into the mixture.
4. Next, add the wheat flour along with the baking powder or baking soda. Do this spoon by spoon and do not add more until the previous one is fully incorporated, so you can make sure that there are no lumps of flour in the dough (which are very unpleasant to eat).
5. Finally, pour in the milk, stir gently until you obtain a homogeneous mixture and fill the pudding mould with it. It is a dense mixture that you will need to flatten well with a spatula to spread it over the entire surface.
6. Take a sheet of greaseproof paper or baking paper and make a double fold in the centre. Cover the mould with it, tie it with a string or twine and trim off the excess. This type of mould has a slit a couple of centimetres from the top which is perfect for placing the string.
7. It is important to make sure that the string is tied well and that there is no place for water to seep in, as this pudding is steamed in a pressure cooker and if water gets in it will spoil the result.
8. Place the bridge accessory (a trivet also works) on the base of a pressure cooker (be careful with the size, it has to be big enough to fit the mould) and pour in the boiling water. Place the mould in, close the pot and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, with the valve open.
9. After this time, close the pot valve to position 2 and count 20 minutes. Immediately depressurize, remove the lid and, very carefully, remove the mold from the inside of the pot. Allow to cool before uncovering, unmolding and serving.

Kitchen Craft pudding mould, Laura Ashley tea towel , Laura Ashley porcelain plates and Pallarès carbon steel knife .

Grades

• We can accompany the pudding with custard, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or eat it as is. Either way, it's delicious!
• You can mix the ingredients in a stand mixer, such as the KitchenAid . In this case, you can use the whisk attachment in step 2, and from there work with the flexible-side beater, at not very high speeds (4 or 5).
• If you prefer to work by hand, the WMF round-tip whisk will work best for you. It prevents lumps from forming while mixing, and is very comfortable to use.