Eve’s Pudding (a Traditional British Apple Dessert)
Eve’s Pudding is a traditional British apple dessert which entails a cake-like topping on baked apples. Served with custard, it’s another brilliant “keeper” of a recipe
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Eve’s pudding probably isn’t a dessert you’re familiar with if you live in the United States.
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Well, I’m planning to change that. I’d like to introduce you to one of Britain’s best dessert recipes. And let me bring up the elephant in the room when discussing a “really good British recipe.” At one time or another, you’ve probably heard someone talking about stereotypically “bad British food”, right?
The UK knows how to do breakfast right! Get the recipe for a Scottish breakfast sausage (Lorne sausage).
There is good and bad cuisine in all parts of the world.
First of all, I cannot tell you how much this upsets me. I almost get as angry as when someone posts a horrific pasta sauce recipe and claims it’s the “best-ever” or that it is an “authentic Italian recipe ” (you can read my tirade here).
One of my main goals in writing on this site is to enlighten the American public, and the rest of the world, that British cuisine and baking is some of the best in the world. (Updated Nov. 2023: I wrote this before the Great British Bake Off was a “thing” and Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry were famous in the USA, so clearly, they’ve helped in my endeavour!)
Delicious hot cross buns are so easy to make!
If you think I’m joking, I am not. I’d hazard a guess that many of those who bash British food have never even stepped foot on UK soil! I have caught some of those people myself, and boy, do they get an earful. For example, have you ever tried Eve’s pudding? It’s a delightfully light and tasty apple dessert which is a traditional British concoction.
What is Eve’s Pudding?
I would guess that Eve’s pudding may actually be the inspiration for American apple cobbler, as the earliest known version of Eve’s pudding is dated back to 1823. Some American cobblers have the fruit on top of the pastry, but Eve’s pudding has the pastry on top which means no soggy bottom!
Try my peach cobbler recipe, too! Make it with fresh, frozen or canned peaches all year long!
Topping it off with hot custard is almost a requirement, as it would be like wine without cheese (okay, that’s a bad example). How about: it would be like Batman without Robin, if you didn’t pour some lovely custard on top!
Eve’s pudding takes almost no time to make, so I hope you’ll try this recipe and come back to let me know what you think of this traditional British recipe. Cheers!
Eve’s Pudding
(a Traditional British Apple Dessert)
slightly adapted from Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Cookery and Household Management Serves 6
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- Granny Smith or your choice of cooking apples
- grated rind and juice of lemon
- sugar
- butter
- egg
- all-purpose/plain flour
- baking powder
Recipe for homemade custard or you can use Bird’s Custard Powder
Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
Make the Filling for Eve’s Pudding
Butter the inside of a pie dish, or similar sized baking dish. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl so that they are evenly mixed.
Next, place the sliced apples in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, lemon rind, and sugar. Stir until well combined. Put the apples into the greased pie dish and set aside.
Make the Topping
Cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg.
Next, gently fold in the flour and baking powder, until well combined, without overmixing.
Spread the mixture evenly over the apples.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the sponge is firm and golden brown.
Enjoy with custard, preferably, or fresh cream.
Most Brits use Bird’s custard which is an egg-free powder which became popular during the war. However, you can make your own homemade custard, which is an incredibly delicious dessert on its own.
Try serving sausage rolls or these shepherd’s pie baked potatoes for dinner.
Eve's Pudding (a Traditional British Apple Dessert)
Ingredients
Filling:
- 16 oz Granny Smith apples (or your choice of cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced)
- 2 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed, preferably organic)
- ½ tsp grated lemon rind (preferably organic)
- ¼ cup sugar (more or less to taste)
Topping:
- ⅓ c sugar
- 6 Tbsp butter (at room temperature)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 c all-purpose flour (less 2 Tbsp)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).
- Butter the inside of a pie dish, or similar sized baking dish.
- Place the sliced apples in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, lemon rind, and sugar, and toss to mix evenly. Put the apples into the greased pie dish and set aside.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl so that they are evenly mixed.
- Cream the sugar and butter (for the topping) until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg.
- Gently fold in the flour and baking powder, until well combined, without over mixing.
- Spread the mixture evenly over the apples. It's fine if it doesn't cover all the fruit, and it will be more like a thick mixture than a runny batter.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the sponge is firm and golden brown.
- Enjoy with custard, preferably, or fresh cream.
Notes
- Granny Smith apples are best for this (if in the US)
- If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the flour.
Nutrition
Eve’s pudding makes reference to the apple in this dish (Adam and Eve), so I don’t know what I’d call this dessert, but I have made it with a combination of apples, plums and peaches, too! Try it with your favorite pie fruits, like cherry, rhubarb or blueberry.
Delicious!!
Other simple apple recipes~
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Thank you for this reminder of my teenage years..We used to make this in our cooking class at my secondary school in Glasgow in the.early 1950s. It was for the headmaster and his guests lunch tray and we never did get to taste our ‘work’. I would love to try it now 70 years later but can not get Granny Smiths or cooking apples in Jamaica.
Awww that’s terrible that you never were able to taste your own Eve’s puddings, Annabella! What a shame. Why don’t you try making it with an eating apple? Just use one that’s firm and not super sweet. Can you get Fuji or Gala apples?
Growing up in Englnd and having Eves pudding often, thought you might like to know we always used Self Rising flour. All purpose flour was never found in our house.
Hi Yvonne, my site’s recipes are geared for North American kitchens which normally don’t have self-raising flour on hand. All-purpose does not exist in the UK, but I’m pretty sure you had plain flour (equivalent to all-purpose). P.S. I grew up in Scotland. :)
All purpose flour is simply plain flour which I use for short crust pastry or Yorkshire puddings. I can add whatever raising agent(s) are required,
Being born and reared in N Ireland I have to agree about the beans and toast, I love it, my husband chuckles when he sees me eating it, also fish and chips from the Chippie riding home on the bus everyone smelling the vinegar, this was back in the 50s when I was a young girl. My Mom was a wonderful baker, buns, apple tarts, Rhubarb tarts and of course Birds custard or whipped cream. I miss our soda bread and potato bread, I am almost 76 yrs old now, and still miss our sausages and all of our food, I will try your Eve’s pudding, it looks delicious. Thank you for sharing. 🎄🇬🇧🙋🏻
Oh yes, such wonderful memories of delicious foods, Jennifer! I hope you do give some of my recipes a try. Some people have said it’s brought tears to their eyes when they taste something they haven’t had in so long.
I am in the US, have never heard of Eve’s Pudding and was hoping for comments, but it seems to be mostly about beans and compliments. I may try it since I have an abundance of apples.
Hi Marianne, did you click on the REVIEWS tab? Here is one: “This is one of those desserts that everyone enjoys, and if you make this, you’ll understand why. It is a great recipe.” and another “This was so easy to make and so delicious my daughter has asked for it for her birthday dessert. Sweet, tangy, bright and the perfect blend of sponge and fruit. Also an easy recipe to convert to vegan friendly A+++” and one more “Absolutely perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and cakey deliciousness! Made it with vegan butter and egg substitute and it was awesome!”
Sorry they are difficult to navigate, I can almost guarantee you will not regret making Eve’s Pudding, Marianne!! :) Let me know what you think!
I just made it today for dinner. I thought it quite ordinary. Very sweet even though I held back on the sugar. LOVED the lemon. The “sponge” as you all it was heavy and very difficult to top the fruit. Very sticky. I felt as if I had possibly ovecooked it a bit.
I used a full pound of Granny Smiths. Might possibly double that if I ever make it again.
Funny that you asked if I had clicked on the REVIEWS. I just read all of the reviews here and most of them are NOT about the posted recipe. Interesting.
Hi Marianne, glad you enjoyed it! However, I think you might have read the comments and not the reviews. It’s confusing, and I apologize. I’m trying to get changes, but nothing I can do right now.
I came fromn Blackpool, England in l957, and my raising up has been 99% percent of English food. I really am not a fan of on the go food, but I admit I do have it sometimes. But my favourite is English, especially beans on toast. Go for it, you’ll love it.
That’s great, Lynn! I actually shared a “recipe” for beans on toast because American bloggers were sharing misinformation and telling people to cook the beans! No, no, no! As you know, only Heinz will do!
Really enjoying this blog, the recipes and the comment from Lynn and Christina. It might be interesting to note that blind taste-tests revealed that in the UK, the brand of Branston beans actually came out on top, and while i did not believe it at first (probably due to all the successful Heinz publicity,) they are actually the tastier bean, in my opinion, over Heinz, if you like a richer, thicker sauce.. Just saying, it’s worth a try! And yes, proper butter for your toast while we’re talking.. from someone also living in England. Keep up the good work! X
First of all, thank you for the lovely compliments, I am so delighted to hear them from you as you’re in England! They mean a lot more to me! Secondly, thank you for the tip on the Branston beans, I’ve never tried them! I will have to change that soon!
Thanks, Christine, for replying. I guess you also know about Pig in a Blanket (Yorkshire pudding and sausages, with gravy and mashed potatoes. Nothing like it. If you have a favourite recipe from your childhood please send it to me. Have a great day, Lynn And you are right, nothing but Heinz.
Hi Lynn, ONE of my favorites was fish and chips from my dad’s chippie!
Definitely on my agenda over next few days……sounds delish.
Thanku.
You’ll love it! Thanks!
Having been to England, Scotland and Wales I know that all British food is not bad in fact I never experienced a bad meal the entire time there! Thank you for the recipes.
Awesome to hear that, Kathleen. This is more what I hear from those who HAVE visited! :)
Thank you so much for the Eve’s Pudding recipe. I’ve yearned for it for years!!! I remember only two dishes from cookery class in my first year of High School in the UK – Eve’s Pud and Toad in the Hole. I was in charge of Saturday dinner because my mother worked, and these two dishes were often on the menu! Thanks again – I can’t wait to make my dear old favourite pudding . I agree with you about the American idea that British food is awful. This from people who invented McDonald’s!
I’m sure it will bring back lovely memories, Natalie! There’s just something about those classic British recipes. Let me know what you think! CC
Not ALL Americans think British food is awful. 😊
Not all, you are correct! :)