An ever-so-easy pudding

I made this pudding when Black Doris plums were at their peak a few weeks ago. It's based on Belinda Jeffery's "Ever-so-easy pear (or plum) and hazelnut cake" recipe from one of our favourite baking books - Mix & Bake - but adapted to make it even easier!

I did intend to use hazelnuts (as the recipe called for) but I just couldn't get the skins off them despite roasting them for ages and then rubbing them in a teatowel. In the end I just used the ground almonds I always have a bag of in the freezer (bought in bulk from Moore Wilson at a bargain price).

The original recipe uses pears (but suggests plums as an alternative) so I may make it with pears sometime during winter.

Here's the recipe as I made it:

180g ground almonds
1/2 cup castor sugar plus two teaspoons
1/3 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
80g butter, melted and cooled
8 plums, halved & stoned
20g cold butter cut into small chunks
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly butter a 25cm cerman dish.

Sift flour into almonds and mix with salt and baking powder in a large bowl - whisk for 30 seconds with a balloon whisk.

Beat eggs until just frothy, whisk in milk, vanilla and cooled melted butter. Mix the egg mixture into the nut/flour mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into prepared dish and sit plums in batter, skin side up. Sprinkle with extra sugar and dot with butter. (I did this but not really necessary if using plums but would be good if using pears).

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the batter is puffed and golden. Cool to lukewarm then dust with cicing sugar. Serve directly from the dish, in slices or just scoop from the dish.

Also very good eaten cold the next day!