A traditional pudding, creamy inside and crowned with caramel: leftover sponge cake, apples, and cinnamon baked in custard. The best possible use for yesterday’s cake — ideal with coffee or shared with family.
Ingredients
For the pudding: 250 g day-old sponge cake; 2 medium apples; 500 ml whole milk; 4 eggs; 120 g sugar; 1 tsp vanilla essence; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; the zest of ½ lemon. For the caramel: 100 g sugar; 2 tbsp water; a few drops of lemon juice (optional).
Method
Heat the oven to 170°C. Make the caramel: melt the sugar with the water in a pan over medium heat without stirring too much, until it turns golden, then pour it carefully into the base of a mould and spread it evenly. Peel and core the apples and cut them into small dice or thin slices; cook them in a pan with the cinnamon (and a teaspoon of butter if you like) for 4–5 minutes until they start to soften, then let them cool a little. Warm the milk in a pan without boiling and add the vanilla and lemon zest. Crumble the sponge cake into a large bowl, pour the warm milk over it, and leave a few minutes so it soaks well. Beat the eggs with the sugar and add them to the soaked cake, mixing until everything is combined — blend briefly if you prefer a finer texture. Fold in the apple pieces gently so they spread through the mixture. Pour everything into the caramelized mould and level the surface. Set the mould in a deep tray and add hot water up to about half its height. Bake in the water bath for 50–65 minutes, until the pudding is set and a skewer in the centre comes out without liquid mixture. Lift the mould carefully out of the water bath and cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 3–4 hours until firm and creamy. Run a thin knife around the edges, place a plate over the mould, and turn it out so the caramel coats the pudding.
Tips
Use up leftover sponge cake, muffins, or simple pastries — nothing goes to waste; aromatic apples such as Golden or Reineta work beautifully; a few raisins soaked in orange juice or a handful of chopped walnuts add a special touch; the pudding is even better made a day ahead, when the flavours blend and it slices cleanly.
