Berry Sponge Pudding Recipes

APPLE SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and grease a 1.5-litre baking dish with butter.
• Peel, core and chop the apples, then place in a pan with 50g of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.
• Cover and cook, stirring now and then, for 8 minutes, or until the apple breaks down. Spoon into your dish, leaving the excess liquid in the pan.
• Beat the eggs with the remaining 50g of sugar until fluffy, then stir in the vanilla extract, sift in the flour and spice and fold together.
• Pour the batter over the apples and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean from the sponge.
• Dust with icing sugar before serving. Delicious served hot with ice cream or custard.

SYRUP SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a two pint heat proof bowl or basin.
• In large bowl, cream together margarine and sugar. Add, a little at a time, beaten eggs, vanilla and flour, until well mixed. Fold in milk to make a smooth consistency.
• Pour syrup in bottom of prepared basin and layer batter over the top. Cover basin with firmly tied parchment paper covered with foil. Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place basin on towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the basin.
• Steam in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until pudding springs back when touched. Invert onto serving plate and serve warm.

MIXED BERRY SPONGE PUDDINGS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Brush six 125 ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) ramekins or dariole moulds with the melted butter. 2. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl using electric beaters until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently fold in the flour alternately with the milk. 3. Divide the berries among the moulds and top each with a teaspoon of the extra caster sugar. Spoon the batter over the berries. Sit the moulds in a large roasting tin and pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the moulds. Cover the roasting tin with a sheet of baking paper, then cover with a sheet of foil, pleating two sheets of foil together if necessary. Fold the foil tightly around the edges of the tin to seal. 4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the puddings spring back when touched. Remove the puddings from their water bath and leave to cool in the moulds for 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the inside edge of each mould and turn out onto serving plates. Serve warm, with custard or ice cream.

BERRY SPONGE CAKES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine pudding and vanilla until blended. Top each sponge cake with pudding and berries. Dollop with whipped topping; sprinkle with almonds.

MARY BERRY'S TREACLE PUDDING RECIPE

Steps:

• Measure the golden syrup into the bottom of a greased 1.1 litre pudding basin.
• Mix the flour, sugar and suet together in a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and enough milk to bind to a soft dough. Pour into the basin on top of the syrup. Cover with greaseproof paper and seal the top with a foil lid.
• Put the basin in a stainless steel saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Fill with enough water to come halfway up the basin and cook on the hob for about 3½ hours, occasionally checking on the level of the water in the pan, topping up when needed with more boiling water.
• OR to cook with an Aga, bring to the boil on the boiling plate for about 8 minutes. Transfer the pan, water and basin to the floor of the simmering oven and cook for about 3½ hours until the pudding is nicely risen and firm to the touch.
• Turn the pudding upside down on to a plate so that all the syrup runs down the sides. Serve warm with custard and more warm golden syrup, if liked.

STEAMED TREACLE SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• First of all butter the basin, then measure 3 tablespoons of golden syrup into it. Then take a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking powder into it, add the softened butter, eggs, sugar and black treacle. Next, using an electric hand whisk (or a large fork and lots of elbow grease), beat the mixture for about 2 minutes until it's thoroughly blended. Now spoon the mixture into the basin and level the top using the back of the tablespoon. Place the sheet of foil over the greaseproof paper, make a pleat in the centre, and place this, foil-side uppermost, on top of the pudding. Pull it down the sides and tie the string, taking the string over the top and tying it on the other side to make yourself a handle for lifting. Trim off the excess paper all the way round. Now steam the pudding for 2 hours, checking the water level halfway through. To serve, loosen the pudding all round using a palette knife, invert it on to a warmed plate, and pour an extra 3 tablespoons of syrup (warmed if you like) over the top before taking it to the table. Serve with Proper Custard (see our Cookery School Video), or some well chilled crème fraîche.

CHOCOLATE PUDDING WITH SPICED BERRY SYRUP

Steps:

• Butter a 1lb pudding basin, then line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper. To prepare the steamer, place an upturned saucer into a large saucepan big enough to fit the pudding basin. This will act as a trivet to stop the base of the pudding coming into direct contact with the heat. Put the kettle on.
• In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Slowly add the beaten eggs, mixing well between each addition. Add the vanilla and melted chocolate and mix everything well. Sieve the cocoa, flour and baking powder into the mixture, then fold in the ground almonds, milk and chocolate buttons.
• Fill the pudding basin with the mixture. Cut out large circles of greaseproof paper and tin foil, big enough to fit over the basin with a 2-in overhang. Lightly butter the greaseproof and lay this on top of the foil, buttered side up. Make a pleat down the centre of the two, then place, paper side down, over the pudding. Turn the foil under to cover the paper. Secure well with string and lower the pudding into the steamer. Add enough boiling water from the kettle to come halfway up the basin but not touch the paper. Cover with a lid and turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.
• After 1 hr 15 mins, remove the lid and check the pudding is cooked by inserting a metal skewer. There should be no raw cake mixture on the skewer.
• Meanwhile, bubble the orange juice, jam, star anise and dried fruit together until syrupy. Stir in the maraschino and canned cherries.
• Carefully turn the pudding out on to a serving plate. Pile some fruit from the sauce on top plus the star anise to decorate, then spoon over some warm syrup. Pour the remaining syrup into a jug and serve alongside.

SIMPLE JAM SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease the inside of four 175ml (6fl oz) pudding basins with butter. Put 1tbsp of jam in the bottom of each and put to one side. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6.
• Whisk together the butter and orange zest with a small electric whisk until smooth. Whisk in the caster sugar until thoroughly combined - about 10min - then gradually whisk in the egg. Fold in flour, then sufficient orange juice to give a soft dropping consistency. Spoon on top of the jam and smooth the surfaces.
• Butter four discs of foil, measuring about 12.5cm (5in) across, and cover the puddings with them, folding under the rim to secure. Put the basins in a large roasting tin. Pour in enough boiling water to come at least halfway up their sides. Cook for 45min or until the puddings are risen, cooked to the centre and golden brown on top. Lift out of the roasting tin, unmould when ready and serve with pouring cream or custard.

APPLE SPONGE EVE'S PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter the sides and base of a medium-sized ovenproof dish measuring approx. 20cm/8" x 14cm/5.5" x 6cm/2.5" deep.
• Preheat the oven to 170 deg fan assisted.
• Peel and core the apples. Slice them into chunks. Gently stew with 2 tablespoons of water for a few moments until softened.
• Pour the stewed apples into the prepared dish.
• In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go along.
• Gradually add the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour in between to help prevent curdling. Mix until well combined.
• Add the vanilla extract and remaining flour. Mix until well combined. Do not over beat as you will over stretch the gluten in the flour.
• Pour the cake batter evenly over the top of the stewed apples.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 mins. Or until baked. Testing the centre of the sponge in various places, with a skewer until it comes out clean.

BERRY SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
• Pour the frozen mixed berries into a ceramic dish. I used a small rectangular dish.
• Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs one by one, then fold in the flour.
• Finally, stir in the vanilla extract and baking powder and mix gently.
• Pour the cake batter on top of the mixed berries and spread around with a spoon.
• Put it in the oven and bake for approx 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Leave to cool and serve either warm or cold. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving if desired.

SUMMER FRUIT SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
• Add the berries in the bottom of a large oven safe dish.
• In a bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the eggs one by one. Add a spoonful of flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
• Add the vanilla extract.
• Sieve in the flour and baking powder and mix together.
• Zest the lemon and add juice from half with the zest it in to the mix. Stir together.
• Gentle spoon over the cake mix.
• Bake for approx 35 minutes to 45 minutes until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. (I added the lid after 20 minutes as my oven was browning the top too quickly.)
• Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve straight away with cream.

STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING MARY BERRY

Steps:

• Put all ingredients for the sponge into a mixing bowl except for the milk. Beat them with an electric whisk for around 30 seconds until they are properly incorporated. With a spatula, run along the edges of the bowl and check for any lumps of dry flour or any other bit that you missed.
• With an electric whisk at medium speed, incorporate the milk gradually into the thick batter.
• Line a baking tin with baking paper and pour the mixture in. Level the batter evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 for 30 - 40 minutes.
• Once cooked, remove from the oven and let the sponge cool down a little bit before serving.
• Melt all ingredients for the sauce slowly in a saucepan. Stir regularly. Once the sugar dissolves and the butter melts, turn the heat up and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir a few times and remove it from the heat.
• Cut the cake while it is still slightly warm. Served with a generous amount of the sauce. It also tastes amazing with a spoon of thick cream or dollop of ice cream.

EVE'S PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Peel, core and roughly chop the apples. Add the apples to a saucepan with the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water. Stir, cover and cook briskly for five minutes until the apples are soft.
• Add the butter and caster sugar and stir. Then transfer to a 900ml/1½ pint capacity ceramic gratin dish, about 5cm/2in deep. Leave to cool while you prepare the topping.
• For the topping, cream together the butter and caster sugar until fluffy and light.
• Fold the flour and egg in alternate spoonfuls into the sugar mixture until blended, being careful to keep folding rather than stirring energetically - this will keep air in the mixture and fold in. Add a spoonful of boiling water to the mix.
• Spoon the mixture over the apples. Cook in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the topping is puffy and golden. Serve with cream or custard.

MARY BERRY'S TOFFEE PEAR PUDDING

Steps:

• 1. You will need a shallow 2 litre (3½ pint) ovenproof dish, measuring about 30 x 20 x 6cm (12 x 8 x 2½in). Preheat the oven to 180°/160° fan/Gas 4 and lightly grease the dish with butter. 2. Slice one pear half into thin horseshoe shapes and set these aside for decoration. Cut the remaining pears into 1cm (½ in) pieces. 3. To make the pudding, measure the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, beat until light and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk again to make a smooth, thick batter. Stir in the chopped pears. 4. Pour into the prepared dish. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes until the pudding is well risen, coming away from the sides of the dish and springy to the touch. 5. To make the sauce, measure all the ingredients into a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Increase the heat and boil for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened slightly. 6. Arrange the reserved pear slices along the centre of the dish. Pour half the sauce over the pudding, then pour the rest into a warm jug. Serve the pudding warm with the sauce and some ice cream, custard or cream. Prepare ahead: Can be made and cooked, without the sauce, up to 6 hours ahead. Sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead. Get your copy of Mary Berry's essential new guide to comfort cooking, with over 120 delicious, foolproof recipes: