Blackberry Bramble Queen of Puddings

• Heat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease the baking dish well with butter or margarine.

Make the sponge

• Cream margarine and light brown sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time. Sieve in the flour and barley mix until combined. Never overwork your flour. Spoon into the prepared dish, level the top.
• Bake for 20–25 mins until golden and springy to the touch.

Prepare the apples

• While sponge is baking, peel, core, and roughly chop apples.
• Place in a saucepan with 2–3 tbsp water, cover, and cook gently until soft and pulpy.
• Stir in 4 tbsp caster sugar, then set aside to cool slightly.

Assemble fruit layer

• Once sponge is baked, reduce oven to 170°C / 150°C fan
• Spread the stewed apple evenly over the warm sponge.
• Scatter the blackberries evenly on top.

Make the meringue

• Whisk egg whites in a clean, dry bowl until soft, floppy peaks form.
• Gradually whisk in caster sugar, a spoonful at a time, until stiff, glossy peaks form.
• Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.
• Pipe large rounds over the fruit, lifting the bag sharply after each to create little peaks.

Bake

• Return to oven for 18–20 mins until meringue is crisp on the outside and just set inside.

Serve

• Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm with gelato, custard, cream — or all three for full comfort-food glory.