Equipment needed: electric mixer, kitchen scale (measuring in grams on a scale is more precise), a 2 -pint pudding basin, pot with lid.
INGREDIENTS (Pictured above in first photo)
Ingredients
For the caramel
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
For the applesauce
1½ - 2 medium apples (I used Cosmic Crisp)
2 tablespoons water
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
For the apple topping
1½ - 2 medium apples
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or nondairy butter)
1 tablespoon sugar
For the pudding
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup molasses
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Grease pudding mold with butter.
Caramel sauce (pictured in top row above, second and third photos): Combine sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan; set over medium heat. Cover, and cook until sugar has melted. Remove cover, and continue cooking, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar turns a deep amber. Carefully pour caramel into pudding mold; tip so caramel coats mold evenly. Set mold aside.
Applesauce: Peel and core apples and cut into chunks. Place in a small saucepan along with water, sugar, and spices. Cook, covered, over low heat until apples fall apart, 10 to 12 minutes. Uncover, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often. I mashed mine up (see first photo in second row above), but it’s not necessary. Set the applesauce aside.
Apple topping (pictured in second row above): Peel and core apples and cut into 1-inch chunks. Melt butter in a small sauté pan and add apples and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until apples turn brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Place apples in the bottom of the caramel-lined mold, distributing evenly so they reach up the sides.
Sponge (pictured in third row above): In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and molasses; mix well. Add the reserved applesauce, and mix well.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir in breadcrumbs. Add to the applesauce mixture. Stir batter until just combined. This is your sponge batter.
Fill pudding basin with sponge batter; clamp on lid. Place a heat-proof saucer at the bottom of a pot. Place the covered mold on top of the plate. Carefully pour water around the at the basin in an empty pot of simmering water. Cover pot and cook until a toothpick inserted into middle of pudding comes out clean, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Check water often, keeping it at a steady, low simmer. Transfer basin to a wire rack to cool, 15 minutes.
When ready to serve, remove the basin lid and invert the pudding onto a serving plate. If any of the apple chunks stick to the mold, remove them, and rearrange them on the top; slice and serve.
Loosely adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe.
INGREDIENTS (Pictured above in first photo)
Ingredients
For the caramel
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
For the applesauce
1½ - 2 medium apples (I used Cosmic Crisp)
2 tablespoons water
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
For the apple topping
1½ - 2 medium apples
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or nondairy butter)
1 tablespoon sugar
For the pudding
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
¼ cup molasses
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
Pinch of salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Grease pudding mold with butter.
Caramel sauce (pictured in top row above, second and third photos): Combine sugar and water in a small, heavy saucepan; set over medium heat. Cover, and cook until sugar has melted. Remove cover, and continue cooking, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar turns a deep amber. Carefully pour caramel into pudding mold; tip so caramel coats mold evenly. Set mold aside.
Applesauce: Peel and core apples and cut into chunks. Place in a small saucepan along with water, sugar, and spices. Cook, covered, over low heat until apples fall apart, 10 to 12 minutes. Uncover, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often. I mashed mine up (see first photo in second row above), but it’s not necessary. Set the applesauce aside.
Apple topping (pictured in second row above): Peel and core apples and cut into 1-inch chunks. Melt butter in a small sauté pan and add apples and sugar. Cook over medium-high heat until apples turn brown on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Place apples in the bottom of the caramel-lined mold, distributing evenly so they reach up the sides.
Sponge (pictured in third row above): In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and molasses; mix well. Add the reserved applesauce, and mix well.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir in breadcrumbs. Add to the applesauce mixture. Stir batter until just combined. This is your sponge batter.
Fill pudding basin with sponge batter; clamp on lid. Place a heat-proof saucer at the bottom of a pot. Place the covered mold on top of the plate. Carefully pour water around the at the basin in an empty pot of simmering water. Cover pot and cook until a toothpick inserted into middle of pudding comes out clean, about 1 hour 40 minutes. Check water often, keeping it at a steady, low simmer. Transfer basin to a wire rack to cool, 15 minutes.
When ready to serve, remove the basin lid and invert the pudding onto a serving plate. If any of the apple chunks stick to the mold, remove them, and rearrange them on the top; slice and serve.
Loosely adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe.