This is one of my favourite things to make when the weather turns cold. Still warm from the oven, it is perfect with a generous pour of cream.
It’s almost like a crumble, but with a spongy cake on top instead, it is really comforting and sees you well into the cooler months. Substitute the rhubarb for blackberries, fresh in late summer or frozen in the depths of winter.
Serves 6
Ingredients
Filling
5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 5 mm (1/5 inch) thick slices
350g (12.3 ounces) trimmed rhubarb stalks, cut into 2cm pieces
100g (3.5 ounces) raw sugar
Zest of an orange
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Pudding mixture
100g (3.5 ounces) unsalted butter, softened plus extra for greasing
100g (3.5 ounces) raw sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp full-cream milk
150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
Cinnamon sugar topping
1tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1tbsp melted unsalted butter
Pure cream, to serve
Method
Directions
Preheat the oven to 340F. Grease a the Mud Flan dish (11in) with butter.
Combine the apple, rhubarb, sugar, orange zest and vanilla in a large bowl and toss to combine. Tumble the fruit into the prepared dish.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, mixing until everything is well incorporated. Stir in the milk and finally the flour, gently mixing until the batter is smooth. Spread the batter over the top of the fruit, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top springs back when touched and the fruit is soft. If the top is browning too quickly, simply cover with aluminium foil.
Meanwhile, for the topping, combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the hot pudding with melted butter and scatter over the cinnamon sugar. Serve warm with cream.
