John's Recipe of the Month

Apple and Blackberry Pudding

• 75g/2½oz self raising flour
• 75g/2½oz vegetable suet
• 100g/4oz white breadcrumbs
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 large orange
• 5tbsp milk
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 large eating apple, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
• 100g/4oz blackberries
• 100g/4oz caster sugar
• pouring cream to serve

Takes 55 mins · Serves 6

1Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6/fan oven 180°C.
2Sift the flour into a bowl, stir in a pinch of salt, the suet, breadcrumbs, orange zest and just enough milk to make a soft crumble mix.
3Melt the butter in a large frying pan and cook the apple for 5 minutes until softened. Stir into the suet mix, then spread into a 1.2 litre/2 pint dish. Sprinkle the blackberries over.
4Put the orange juice, sugar and 125ml/4fl oz water in a pan. Heat, stirring, until dissolved, then boil rapidly until pale golden. Pour over the pudding. Leave to soak for 10 minutes, then bake for 25 minutes.
5Serve hot or warm with pouring cream.