Malva Pudding

Serves 6 – 8

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 60 minutes + additional cooling/soaking time 20 minutes

Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

For the batter

  • 250g sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons (10ml) bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) apricot jam
  • 300g cake flour, sifted
  • 125ml milk, warm
  • 60g butter, melted in the milk

For the Malva sauce

  • 125ml boiling water
  • 125g sugar
  • 250ml cream
  • 125g butter
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla essence

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

For the batter:

  1. Grease 12 ramekins or a 23cm oven dish.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl beat the sugar with the eggs, adding the eggs one by one until well combined and creamy in colour.
  3. Add in the lemon juice, bicarbonate of soda and apricot jam and beat together.
  4. Stir in the flour alternating with the milk and butter mixture, to create a thick batter.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake at 180°C for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If using ramekins, they will need less time, check by inserting a skewer in the centre of the puddings and checking that it comes out clean.

NB: Cover with aluminum foil halfway through cooking time if the top is getting too brown.

For the sauce:

  1. Pour the boiling water into a saucepan and add the sugar, cream, butter and vanilla essence. Heat on low until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for five minutes.
  2. Pour the syrup over the hot pudding as it comes out of the oven and allow to soak for 20 minutes.

Serve with cream, ice cream or custard.