VIRGINIA APPLE PUDDING

When a recipe appears over and over, over decades, in community and church cookbooks, you’ve got to assume it’s stood the test of time.  And when it includes apples, and sugar and spices, who can resist giving it a try?  Variations from one recipe to the next are almost insignificant over the years—different spices may be added, apple prep varies, use white or brown sugar, add a beaten egg to batter or not — one recipe even added a little apple cider vinegar.  It’s a very sweet pudding, so a little less sugar works fine.  This simple version calls for the apples to first be “fried” in a little butter to soften them. 

• 2 cups of roughly chopped apples, cooked in 3 tblsp butter until almost fork tender (4-5 medium apples)
• 1 to 1 ½ tsp warm spices—cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, or mixed
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup white/brown sugar—or mixed
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk

Pre heat oven to 375’.  Add spices to warm apples and mix well.  Whisk together flour, sugar, and baking powder.  Add melted butter and milk and mix thoroughly, by hand or hand-mixer.   Pour batter into buttered 2 qt casserole.  Spread apples over the top.  Bake at 375’ for 25-30 minutes, until top is golden brown.  Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

The Kitchen Hive