British Bramley Apples

The recipe is enough for at least eight servings and is a great way to get rid of a stale loaf.  Here in the UK it’s possible to buy bread half price at the end of the day, or even buy cheap “budget” brand from the supermarket.

Ingredients

• 400 ml (14 fl oz) Medium cider
• 250 g (9 oz) Caster sugar
• 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp Mixed spice
• 50 g (2 oz) Sultanas (or raisins)
• 0.5 Grated zest of orange
• 400 g (14.1oz) Bread (brown or white)
• 4 Eggs, beaten
• 2 Medium sized cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced (being a patriotic Brit I always go for the good old-fashioned Bramley)
• 50 g (2 oz) Butter 

Method

The night before you want to make the cake, put the cider, sugar, spices, sultanas and/or raisins and orange zest into a pan and bring to the boil.  Break the bread into small pieces and place in a bowl and then pour the contents of the pan into the bread. Cover with cling film and leave overnight.

The following day, melt the butter in a large frying pan (skillet) and fry the apples on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring as they are cooking, until they are lightly coloured.  Leave to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4.

Gently fold the eggs into the bread mixture then do the same with the apples. Line a loaf tin or a deep round cake tin (the type you’d cook your Christmas cake in!) with the baking/greaseproof paper.  I normally use a loaf tin primarily because it’s easier to line than a round one but also it makes it a lot easier to slice the cake/pudding when it’s cooked.   

Put the mixture into the tin .

Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the mixture is firm to the touch and then finish it off with a sprinkling of caster sugar whilst it’s still hot.

(For those of you are interested, I’ve just posted a picture of the finished article to my Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/29657972@N08/)