Apple Pudding

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1-quart (1-litre) heatproof pudding basin with a pronounced rim
• •Deep 6-quart (5.7-litre) lidded stockpot
• •Low heatproof trivet or inverted saucer
• •Baking parchment, heavy foil, and kitchen string
• •Rolling pin

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the suet paste

   Set aside 1 tablespoon of the measured flour for rolling. Mix the remaining flour with the salt, then toss through the cold suet until every fragment is lightly coated. Pour in the 70 ml cold water and cut it through with a table knife until damp clumps form; press them together briefly with cool hands, without kneading the paste smooth. If it fractures after a firm squeeze, leave it for five minutes so the flour can drink, then work in the extra water with damp fingertips, one teaspoon at a time. Stop as soon as the paste holds together, because warmth smears the suet and kneading toughens the crust.

   Keep small pieces of suet visible in the paste. They melt during cooking and leave the crust tender rather than heavy.
2. 2

   Rest and prepare

   Shape the paste into a thick disc, cover it, and rest it in a cool place for one hour. This distributes the water and relaxes the dough so it rolls without springing back. Meanwhile, use about two-thirds of the softened butter to coat the inside of a 1-quart basin generously. Cut a 12-inch (30 cm) square of baking parchment and a slightly larger square of heavy foil, then fold a 1-inch (2.5 cm) pleat through the centre of each so the pudding has room to expand.

3. 3

   Line the basin

   Dust the work surface with the reserved flour and set aside one-third of the paste for the lid. Roll the larger portion into a broad circle about one-third inch (8 mm) thick. Lower it into the buttered basin and ease it against the bottom and sides without stretching, leaving about half an inch (1.25 cm) above the rim. Press scraps over any cracks or thin places with damp fingertips. A sound patch is better than a handsome weak spot, and it disappears during cooking.

4. 4

   Fill and seal

   Only now peel, core, and slice the apples about one-quarter inch (6 mm) thick. Toss them with the sugar and finely chopped lemon peel, then pack them into the lined basin, pressing gently and mounding them slightly because they will settle. Roll the reserved paste to the same one-third-inch (8 mm) thickness. Moisten the exposed rim of the case with cold water, lay the lid over it, and pinch the two layers together firmly all the way around. Trim the excess and turn the joined edge inward. If the seam cracks, press on a dampened scrap of paste and seal its edges before continuing.

5. 5

   Cover the basin

   Butter the underside of the parchment with the remaining butter, place it buttered-side down over the basin, and lay the foil on top with both pleats aligned. Smooth the coverings around the rim and tie them twice beneath the basin’s lip with kitchen string. Add a second loop across the top as a handle. Inspect every edge before the basin meets the water. If the foil tears or the knot slips, replace it and tie again now. Ça se rattrape, but only before water gets inside.

   The pleat allows expansion; the string keeps the cover watertight. Both matter more than a neat-looking parcel.
6. 6

   Boil for three hours

   Set a low trivet or heatproof saucer in a deep lidded pot and add enough water to reach about two-thirds up the basin once it is lowered in. Bring the water to a boil, lower in the pudding by its string handle, and cover the pot. Hold the water at a steady, lively simmer for three hours, checking every 25 to 30 minutes and adding freshly boiling water down the side of the pot as needed. Never pour water over the cover, never let it rise above the basin’s rim, and never let it fall below halfway. If the level drops too far, restore it with boiling water and add ten minutes to the cooking time.

7. 7

   Turn out and serve

   Lift the basin out carefully by its string handle and leave it undisturbed for ten minutes. Cut away the string and cover, run a narrow knife around the edge, and invert the pudding onto a warmed serving platter. If it clings, turn the basin upright, loosen the sides a little deeper, and invert it again. If a small piece of crust stays behind, place it back over the fruit and spoon a little apple syrup across the join. Never apologize at your own table. Cut thick wedges and serve while the crust is tender and the lemon-scented apples are glossy. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask a butcher for beef kidney suet, chill it until very firm, and grate or chop it finely. Butter makes excellent pastry, but not this pastry: suet gives the case the strength to withstand three hours in boiling water while remaining tender.
• •Choose apples with acidity and enough body to survive the long cooking. Bramley is ideal where available; otherwise use three Granny Smith apples and one Golden Delicious so the filling has both brightness and softness.
• •The cover decides the pudding. Use a basin with a pronounced rim so the string cannot slide, keep the foil above the waterline, and have a kettle of boiling water ready for topping up the pot.
• •The source flavours the fruit only with sugar and chopped lemon peel. Keep the white pith out, and resist adding cinnamon or lemon juice; the enclosed apples produce all the liquid the filling needs.

Advance Preparation

• •The suet paste can be mixed and refrigerated one day ahead. Let it stand at cool room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before rolling so it bends without cracking.
• •Do not fill the raw pudding far in advance, because sugar draws juice from the apples and weakens the seal. Once cooked, cool the pudding completely in its basin, cover, and refrigerate for up to two days.
• •To reheat, reseal the basin and return it to simmering water for 60 to 75 minutes, maintaining the water halfway to two-thirds up the sides, until the centre is thoroughly hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 160g)