Apple sponge pudding

unsalted butter , for greasing

6 eating apples

100 g sugar

2 large free-range eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

60 g self-raising flour

½ teaspoon mixed spice

icing sugar , for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and grease a 1.5-litre baking dish with butter.
2. Peel, core and chop the apples, then place in a pan with 50g of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of water.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Pour the batter over the apples and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean from the sponge.
6. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Delicious served hot with ice cream or custard.