Sticky Toffee Apple Pudding

My mother and I make this for dessert all the time. The whole family loves it and it is usually all eaten in 5 minutes! I have found that the granny smith apple is the perfect apple for this pudding.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup  cream
• 60  g butter
• 1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 -3  apples, peeled, quartered and cored then make slices almost through in each quarter to make fan shape
• 1⁄3 cup pecans, nut pieces
• 90  g butter
• 1  cup caster sugar
• 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3  eggs
• 1 1⁄3 cups self raising flour
• 1⁄2 cup cold water

Directions

1. Combine the brown sugar, cream, 60g butter and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla in a saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
3. Pour into a greased 20cm round cake pan and allow to cool.
4. Arrange the apples, cut sides down, over the toffee. Fill the spaces with pecan nut pieces.
5. Cream the 90g butter ,caster sugar and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla essence, until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating them well after each addition, then continue beating until fluffy.
7. Gently fold in the flour and water. Spoon the mixture over the apples and bake in a slow oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
8. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a serving dish.
9. Serve warm with lashings of cream.