Phyllis Barnard's Malva Pudding (My Mom)

My mom was an excellent cook. When you asked her for a recipe, she would TELL you - everything you needed to know about how to do the recipe. So if this seems a little longwinded, well, that is the way she shared recipes - she left nothing to chance. The irritating thing was that her recipes always turned out perfectly. So no shortcuts with this one.

So here in my Mom's words.

The pyrex dish I use is for the large pudding i.e. double the quantity given below: Size 14" x 9" x 2"

Sift flour before measuring

Use standard measuring cup and the old type large Tablespoon

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup flour (spooned into cup)

1 level teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda (Use the fine one)

1 egg (large)

1 Tablespoon Apricot jam (smooth)

1/2 cup Margarine or Butter

One Tablespoon vinegar

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METHOD

1. Cream margarine and sugar well together

2. Add beaten egg (if done any hand) and beat well

3. Sift flour, soda and salt together and add to above alternately with 1/2 cup milk - beating well after each addition.

4. Add apricot jam and beat well

5. Lastly fold in the vinegar with a wooden spoon

Grease pyrex dish. Pour batter in and bake half-an hour at 350F. The dish must be far too large for the quantity of batter.

While pudding is baking prepare this sauce.

1 cup fresh cream

1 cup sugar

1/2 butter or margarine

1/2 boiling water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt all together in a double boiler

When pudding is baked pour the sauce over the hot pudding (which is in the oven) - turn off the heat; close the oven door but wedge it open slightly with the handle of the wooden spoon placed near the top. Leave the pudding in the oven until the sauce is all absorbed and like caramel.

IF PUDDING MADE FOR USE THE NEXT DAY, KEEP BACK HALF THE SAUCE - NEXT DAY PUT INTO OVEN PRE-HEATED AT 200F; POUR OVER THE HEATED SAUCE AND CLOSE OVEN DOOR AS BEFORE SO THAT PUDDING CAN HEAT THOUROUGLY WITHOUT BAKING ANY MORE.

Serve with ice-cream