Mincemeat and Apple Sponge Pudding

It’s the same every year after Christmas – I always have half a jar of leftover mincemeat staring at me forlornly every time I open the fridge. I know it keeps well (I put plenty of brandy in it!) but once the jar is opened, for some inexplicable reason I feel it’s best to use it up quickly. Yes, I know...I'm mad!

So, I made a little apple and mincemeat steamed sponge pud and served it with custard. We rarely eat desserts except on high days and holidays - the husband thought he'd died and gone to heaven!


2 tbsp mincemeat
50gms softened butter
50gms caster sugar
70gms self-raising flour
1 egg
1 small eating apple, peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks

Put the mincemeat into the base of a well greased 1 pint pudding basin. Mix the sponge ingredients with a hand mixer in a small mixing bowl, then stir in the chopped apple with a metal spoon and spread the sponge mix evenly on top of the mincemeat. Cover the basin tightly with a square of baking parchment, then a square of double foil and steam for about an hour.

I couldn't be bothered to get my big steamer out, so I stood the basin on an upturned saucer in a pan of boiling water with the lid on. Only let the water come halfway up the basin, though; you don't want it bubbling up into the pudding.

This makes a nice sized little pud, ideal for two largish portions with lots of custard (and, if you’re having a pudding, who wants a small portion anyway?)