Julia Busuttil Nishimura's blueberry pudding

A gently spiced pudding topped with the most glorious vanilla sponge which is soft and buttery and the perfect lid for the almost jam-like blueberry base. I love this pudding as it's something that can be easily whipped up using frozen fruit and pantry ingredients. Serve spoonfuls of the warm pudding with plenty of double cream.

INGREDIENTS

• 300g blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 20g brown sugar
• 40g caster sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Vanilla sponge topping

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 50g brown sugar
• 80g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 2 eggs
• 150g full-fat sour cream
• 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
• icing sugar, to serve
• double cream, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan-forced (190C conventional).
2. Combine the blueberries in a bowl with the sugars and spices and tumble them into the base of a 24cm round baking dish. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugars and vanilla on a medium-high speed until very pale and fluffy (around 4-5 minutes), scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the sour cream and mix again until combined.
4. Sift the flour directly into the bowl and mix by hand, using a wooden spoon or spatula, until just incorporated.
5. Spoon the batter over the blueberries and smooth it out so the blueberries are completely covered.
6. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top of the sponge bounces back when pressed.
7. Dust with icing sugar and serve the pudding warm with double cream.

Serves 4-6

This recipe is from episode one of Good Food Kitchen season 2, screening on 9Now.