Apple Hat Pudding

Apple Hat Pudding, named for its shape when unmolded, is among the especially plentiful and treasured family of English apple puddings. Supeb dessert for those winter evenings

Ingredients

• 200 g (7 oz) suetcrust pastry
• 1 lb (450 g) cooking (tart) apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbls) 100 g Granulated Sugar

Method

1. Half-fill a steamer or large saucepan with water and put it on to boil. Grease a 900-ml (1 1/2 pt) pudding basin.

2. Make the pastry and roll out into a round 2.5 cm (1 in) larger all round than the top of the basin.

3. Cut a quarter out of the round; with the remaining portion line the pudding basin, damping the cut edges, overlapping them and passing well to seal.

4. Fill the basin with the sliced apples and sugar in alternate layers.

5. Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid, damp the edges of the pastry in the basin and cover with the lid, pressing the edges well together.

6. Cover with greased greaseproof paper or foil and steam for 2 1/2 hours.

7. Turn the pudding out on to a dish and serve with pouring custard