Oakbank Apple Pudding

Traditional recipe for a classic dessert of a baked dessert of apples, dried fruit, spices, butter and syrup cooked in a suet pastry crust.

Ingredients

Suet Pastry

• 225g self-raising flour
• 110g shredded suet pinch of salt cold water, to bind

Filling

• 675g cooking apples (eg Bramleys), peeled, cored and sliced
• 75g soft brown sugar
• 2 dessert spoons sultanas
• 2 dessert spoons raisins
• 2 dessert spoons candied peel, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp golden syrup, heated until runny 2 tbsp cold butter
• 1 tbsp water

Method

Pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the suet and stir to combine then sprinkle over just enough cold water to bring the mixture together as a dough. Use your hands to work the dough until smooth and elastic then cut off just over 2/3 of the pastry and turn out onto a lightly-floured work surface. Roll out until large enough to cover the base and sides of a well-greased baking dish (about 28 x 18 x 8cm).

Line the dish with the pastry then place a layer of the sliced apples over the pastry base. Sprinkle with the sugar and scatter over the fruit and the ground cinnamon. Drizzle over the golden syrup and water then chop the butter finely and use this to dot the top of the mixture. Now add the remaining apple slices as a second layer. Roll out the remaining pastry until large enough to form a lid then place this over the top of the pie and use your fingers to pinch the seams closed. Trim off any excess pastry then brush the top of the pastry with water and sprinkle over a little granulated sugar. Make a few steam holes then place the dessert in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the apple filling is tender and the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.