If you need a pudding in a hurry, then your store cupboard will be your inspiration.
Having a pantry with a few choice ingredients - like a bottle of lemon curd or a tin of apples - and a roll of puff pastry in your deep freeze will be key to what you can whip up without having to rush out to the shops.
Tinned as well as seasonal fresh fruit are ideal for using in tarts, pies and crumbles. Basics like butter, flour, sugar and eggs will help you prepare quick sponges that can be topped with bottled lemon curd, jam or marmalade. Make sure you have some prepared custard or long-life cream to serve with your pudding.
Lemon curd pudding
Serves 6
Ingredients
125g Butter
180ml Castor sugar
250ml Flour
5ml Baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 Eggs
Zest and juice of 1 small lemon
90ml Bought lemon curd
Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line the bases of six ramekins with rounds of baking paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Place all the ingredients except the lemon curd into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Fill the ramekins halfway with batter and bake for 10-15 minutes until spongy and set.
A toothpick inserted into the middle of the sponge must come out clean. Remove and invert the ramekins on to serving plates.
Spoon the lemon curd over and serve with whipped cream.
Fig tart tatin
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
125ml Castor sugar
50g Butter
250g Fresh firm figs, halved
1 Roll of shortcrust pastry
Method
Put the castor sugar into a frying pan and melt over a low heat. Once the sugar has melted, add the butter a little at a time, stirring well to amalgamate the mixture. Pour the caramel into a 20cm shallow cake tin. Arrange the figs, cut side down, over the base of the tin. Roll the pastry out about 5mm thick and cut a disc slightly larger than the tin.
Place the pastry over the figs, tucking it down into the tin around the edge.
Bake at 180°C for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked.
Remove from the oven and turn on to a serving plate.Serve with whipped cream.
This pudding is best eaten on the day it is made.
Angela Day, Sunday Tribune