Apple and Butterscotch Sponge Pudding

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 60g butter, chopped
• 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup pure cream
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 20g butter, melted
• Double cream and icing sugar, to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°/160°C fan-forced. Melt butter in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add half the apple to pan. Cook, turning occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes or until apple is caramelised and tender. Transfer to a greased 3cm-deep, 16.5cm x 24cm (base) baking pan. Repeat with remaining apple.
2. Add brown sugar and cream to pan. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar has dissolved and mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Pour over apple.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl on high speed for 8 to 10 minutes or until thick and creamy. Using a large metal spoon, fold in sifted flours (see tip). Fold in boiling water and melted butter. Pour over apple mixture. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in sponge comes out clean (cover loosely with foil if over-browning). Dust with icing sugar. Serve with cream.

Notes

• 
  Tip: Sifting flours together 3 times before adding to eggs will make sponges lighter. You could add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the flour in step 3.