Miss Eagle's dear friend Jim came to Melbourne last weekend leaving his better half, Sylvia, back in Tennant Creek in the far away Northern Territory because he was purchasing a truck for his earthmoving business. The beautiful Angela, his daughter, flew down - on an exit week-end because it was Labour Day in Queensland - from St Peter's in Brisbane to meet her father.

So, on the night they spent at The Trad Pad, a roast dinner was on the menu - followed by this wonderful Steamed Apple Pudding straight out of Miss Eagle's favourite, The Schauer Australian Cookery Book.

The Steamed Apple Pudding (a slice is pictured above) is a variation of Miss Schauer's A1 Pudding. So, firstly, the recipe for A1 Pudding then Miss Schauer's variation and, finally, Miss Eagle's notes:

A1 Pudding

Cream 4 oz. butter and 4 oz. sugar together till quite white, add a yellow rind of a grated orange, 2 well-beaten eggs, beat well after adding, then add 1/4 cup milk alternately with 6oz of twice-sifted self-raising flour. Put into a greased pudding bowl, three-parts full. Cover with a buttered paper. Steam 2 hours. Allow to stand 2 or 3 minutes before turning out. Turn out carefully and serve with an orange sauce.

Clear Lemon, Orange or Pineapple Sauce

Put the juice of 1 lemon or orange, or 1 cup pineapple juice with a dessertspoon of lemon juice, into a saucepan with 1/2 pint of water and a heaped tablespoon of sugar. Bring to the boil, then add 1 level dessertspoon of cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon of water, stir till it boils, then boil three minutes. Add a few drops of pink colouring. Strain and serve with steamed or boiled puddings. Use juice of 1/2 a lemon if making Orange sauce with the orange juice. A teaspoon of lemon or orange grated rind may be boiled with sauce.

Delicious Steamed Apple or Any Other Fruit Pudding

Grease a pudding basin or small individual moulds, then spread A1 mixture round the bottom and side, reserving a little to cover over top; fill centre with apples minced, sprinkle with sugar, adding 2 cloves, then spread mixture over top; cover with a buttered paper, steam for 2 hours; if served in small individual moulds, would only need 1.2 hour. Any other stewed fruit may be used instead of apples. Serve with a custard sauce.

NOTE. - Grate apples for individual moulds.

Miss Eagle's Notes

• Miss Eagle used orange juice and a little milk instead of milk alone
• Purchase a good quality aluminium steamer complete with lid to obviate the need for the butter paper procedure
• Use Granny Smith apples
• As will be noted, Miss Eagle quartered the Granny Smiths and sliced them. Next time, she will slice them even thinner - or put them in the food processor.
• Didn't do well with having the mixture adhere to the sides. So put half the mixture in the bottom of the steam, then just laid the apple slices on top, laid the remaining mixture on top and pressed it down lightly with the back of a spoon.
• You can omit the sprinkle of sugar - the pudding is really sweet enough.
• Miss E forgot the cloves but didn't miss them.
• The Pud was delish.
• Highly recommended.