Jewelled sponge puddings with brandy sauce

Ingredients

Ingredients for sponges

• 100g butter or vegan margarine
• 70g brown sugar
• 2 medium eggs, beaten (for vegans use 2 tbsp soya flour with 4 tbsp water)
• 100g ground almonds
• 40g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon
• 450g fruit - cherries, apricots, raspberries, blueberries or fruit of your choice
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 200ml of flavoured brandy or liqueur to match fruit e.g. crème de cassis for raspberries, apricot
• brandy for apricots, cherry brandy for cherries etc.

Ingredients for brandy sauce

• Cooking and preparation time 10 minutes
• 30g butter or vegan margarine
• 30g plain flour
• 350ml milk or soya milk
• 20g caster sugar
• 100ml single cream or soya cream
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 2 drops of vanilla or almond extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.

2. To make the sponge base, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Now add the eggs, almonds, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and mix in thoroughly. Set aside.

3. Make the fruit layer next. Add the fruit, sugar and brandy or liqueur to a small saucepan and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed. This should take around 15 minutes.

4. Grease four ramekins and line with baking parchment. Place the fruit mixture into each of the ramekins then add the sponge mixture. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the sponge has risen and is crisp.

5. When done, let the puddings cool slightly before turning them out onto a plate each. You may need to go around the puddings with a sharp knife if they have stuck to the sides, carefully remove baking parchment.

Method for the brandy sauce

1. Gently melt the butter (or margarine) then add the flour, stirring with a whisk. Allow to cook for two minutes, keep stirring.

2. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time. As the milk is added the sauce will start to thicken.

3. Add the sugar and allow the sauce to cook for 5 minutes on a low heat, stirring from time to time.

4. Add the cream and brandy plus either vanilla or almond extract. Bring slowly back to a higher temperature stirring all the time then serve immediately.

Our thanks to The Vegetarian Society for providing this recipe.