A Very Heavenly Pudding

So as we all know, Great British Bake Off started again this week. Yes, it’s got to that time of year already. For many, GBBO is a chance to gaze lustfully at the decadent delights, vicariously savouring them before gasping at the desperate disasters that are concocted in the bunting clad tent.

Others might enjoy the ever-entertaining baking puns and not-quite-accidental innuendos whilst gazing into the swimming pool blue eyes of Paul Hollywood as he glares at the contestants’ not quite right bakes.

For us at Heaven, GBBO is one reminder that, while we’re still enjoying the summer sun, the ski season is almost here!

Not all of us are great at making delicious food worthy of those infamous “yum” sounds so here is an easy treat to charm your friends into thinking you deserve that star baker badge.

A bit of history: originally being made with apples, this desert was called Eve’s pudding. Jamie Oliver then mixed things up by making it with stoned fruits and calling it Sheila’s pudding.

We’re saying, use whatever fruit takes your fancy and pick a girl’s name…we suggest Lynsey, Vicky, Emma or Pippa. Pippa’s pudding has a bit of a ring to it though.

Still need some convincing to bake instead of just popping to the shops? You won’t find this at the supermarket.

When I travelled and lived in France, I was under A LOT of pressure to restore faith in British cooking. I’d scurry down to the market, pick up some apples, nectarines, peaches or plums and cook up this absolutely mouth-watering pud. And the French were impressed. Phew!

It’s just so simple. But it’s so tasty.

A Very Heavenly Pudding

Ingredients

6 ripe peaches or nectarines, halved and stones removed
or apples, pears peeled and cut into eighths
OR rhubarb, berries…. go wild and try different fruit…maybe not passion fruit though

4 heaped teaspoons demerara sugar

1 vanilla pod, scored lengthwise and seeds removed

125g / 4 1/2oz butter

125g / 4 1/2oz caster sugar

2 large free-range eggs

125g / 4 1/2oz self-raising flour

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

Put the fruit in a saucepan with the demerara sugar, the vanilla seeds and 4 tablespoons of water. Simmer for 5 minutes and then place into a well-greased and lightly floured ovenproof dish or bowl.

If you’re struggling for time, this step can be missed out but to really bring out the flavour of the fruit and vanilla, it is highly recommended.

Beat together the butter, caster sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Add the flour, mix thoroughly and spread over the fruit. Don’t worry if there are gaps.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. The pudding wants to be a nice golden brown colour. You’ll start to smell when it’s ready and good luck with not eating the whole thing straight away. Remove from the oven and serve with hot custard or something cold, like vanilla ice-cream or crème fraiche.

I have tried and tested this recipe many many time. It has honestly never gone wrong for me and hardly takes any time or effort.

A Very Heavenly Pudding

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