Ingredients:
For the toffee sauce
125g butter
175g brown sugar
200g fresh cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
For the pudding
175g butter, plus extra for greasing
3 large red apples
130g brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
4 tbsp milk
150g refined flour
1 tbsp lemon zest
Lightly whipped double cream, for serving
Method
For the toffee sauce: in a small saucepan, melt the butter and sugar in a pan together over a medium heat, until the mixture begins to turn amber and caramelises.
Lower the heat and slowly stir in the cream and vanilla extract, then take off the heat and set aside to cool completely.
For the pudding: lightly butter a 9 inch baking basin. Cut a small disc of butter paper and place in the bottom.
Peel core and slice the apples. Heat 25g of the butter and gently fry the apples until they are just tender and start to caramelise. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, beat together the rest of the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy. Gradually add in the beaten egg and milk mixing well.
Sift in the flour and fold into the batter until well-combined.
Scatter the apples onto the bottom of the buttered basin and drizzle over half the toffee sauce. Pour the sponge batter over the apples.
Cover the pudding basin with a lid, and then place a thin aluminum foil on top of the lid leaving little extra, and seal the edges.
Place the basin in a large saucepan or steamer and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Cover with a lid and steam for at least 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the pudding comes out clean.
Turn the pudding out onto a plate and serve with remaining toffee sauce and light whipped cream.
