Wednesday, 24 May 2006

Sir Richard Branson's Apple & Rhubarb Sponge

Sir Richard has the recipe for success – and his dessert is a winner, too

Ingredients

450g/1lb cooking apples
450g/1lb rhubarb
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange
75g/3oz demerara sugar
50g/2oz sultanas

For the sponge
75g/3oz butter
75g/3oz sugar
2 eggs
A few drops of almond essence
75g/3oz self-raising flour
25g/1oz ground almonds
Salt
A little milk

Method

1 Peel and slice the apples, then wash and cut the rhubarb into 2.5cm/1in pieces. Put in a saucepan with the orange juice and rind, sugar and sultanas, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 mins. Once simmered, pour into a greased ovenproof dish.
2 For the sponge topping, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together, then add the eggs and almond essence. Mix in the flour, ground almonds and salt. Add a little milk to make a 'dropping' consistency, then spoon over the fruit and sprinkle the top with flaked almonds. Cook for 35-40 mins.
3 Serve hot with custard or cream.

Recipe taken from Cooking For Life compiled by Louise Robinson. For more information about this book, call 020-7793 4500 or visit www.wateraid.org.