Elderberry, Blackberry and Apple Pudding

I got a really fantastic pudding cookbook a couple of months ago full of good old-fashioned English puds. From steamed to baked to apple snow, they all look delicious. This is the first one I have made primarily because it used up some of the elderberries currently languishing in my freezer from the autumn and it was fantastic. Just what you want out of a pudding. When I make this recipe again I think I will add more apple as the sponge seemed to grow enormously and the fruit to sponge ratio was a little off but otherwise an awesome pudding.

Elderberry, Blackberry and Apple Pudding
(from Great British Puddings - The Pudding Club)
(Serves 6-8)

450g cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
110g blackberries
50g elderberries
1 heaped tsp raspberry jam
175g butter, softened
150g light brown sugar
1 tbsp golden syrup
4 eggs, beaten
110g self raising flour
110g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder

Grease a 2 pint oven-proof dish.

Put the apples, blackberries, elderberries and jam into a saucepan, cover with a lid and cook gently for 8-10 mins. Pour into the oven-proof dish.

Preheat the oven to 170C.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and golden syrup until light fluffy, then gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and baking powder with a metal spoon.

Pour the mixture on top of the fruit, smooth over the top and bake for 30-40 mins until the sponge is golden brown and firm to the touch.

Serve with ice cream.