History Cookbook: Apple Brown Betty

Healthiness : (2 votes)

Difficulty:  
Comments:

The apples need to be quite thinly sliced once they are peeled. Use a peeler rather than a knife to peel the apples. Always peel away from your hand.

The finished pudding will be very hot when you take it from the oven, use oven gloves and have a heat proof board ready to put it on, as it is quite heavy.

Preparation Time: 10-20 minutes chopping and peeling, 5-10 minutes assembling.
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Number of servings: Serves 6-8
Serving suggestions: Serve hot on its own or with custard.
This is a vegetarian recipe

This was an economical dish making use of stale or leftover bread. Both summer pudding and bread and butter pudding are from the same tradition.

A betty is a baked pudding. This dish became very popular in colonial America but also remained a common dish in England.

There are many variations using fruits that were in season at different times and omitting more expensive ingredients, like the spices and raisins.

• 2  1/2 lb (1 kg) apples (or other fruit in season)
• 8 oz (200 g) fresh white breadcrumbs (about 6 slices)
• 5 oz (120 g) brown sugar
• 3oz (75 g) butter
• 5 oz (120 g) raisins or sultanas
• grated rind of 1 lemon
• 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice
• grated nutmeg or cinnamon to flavour (less than 1 teaspoon, a generous pinch)

• Weighing Scales
• Grater
• Tablespoon
• Greaseproof paper
• Baking Dish
• Sharp Knife

Always wash your hands before preparing food.

1. Pre-heat oven to 375F, 190C (Gas mark 5)
2. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples
3. Grease a medium-sized ovenproof dish
4. Put one third of the breadcrumbs in the bottom and dot with some of the butter
5. Put half the apples on top
6. Sprinkle with half the sugar, lemon rind, lemon juice, raisins and nutmeg or cinnamon
7. Put one third of the breadcrumbs on top and dot with more of the butter
8. Put on the rest of the apples, sugar etc
9. Cover with remaining breadcrumbs, dot the top with the rest of the butter
10. Cook for about 40 mins until the apples are tender and the top is golden brown