GINGER PUDDINGS

“Work is the meat of life, pleasure the dessert.” - B. C. Forbes

The nights are getting to be rather cold now and as the night falls early, it is good to get home and turn the heater on. Autumn foods are de rigueur, with hot soups, pumpkin and cauliflower dishes, apples, pears, nuts, and of course hot desserts dripping with syrup or delicious sweet sauces. Here is such a dessert, just right for a cool autumn night.

Ginger Puddings
Ingredients

Puddings:
•    Melted butter, to grease
•    170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
•    180g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
•    1 heaped tablespoonful finely grated fresh ginger
•    1/2 teaspoonful ground cloves
•    2 eggs
•    1 tablespoonful golden syrup
•    180g (1 heaped cup) self-raising flour, sifted
•    80ml (1/3 cup) milk
•    Double cream, to serve

Butterscotch sauce
•    100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
•    125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
•    25g unsalted butter

Method
•    Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush four 250ml (1-cup) capacity muffin pans with melted butter to lightly grease.
•    Use an electric beater to beat the butter, sugar and ginger in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the egg and golden syrup. Beat until combined. Fold in the flour and milk, in batches, until combined. Divide among the prepared pans.
•    Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside in the pans for 5 minutes to cool before turning onto serving plates.
•    Meanwhile, to make the butterscotch sauce, combine the sugar, cream and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly.
•    Pour the sauce over the puddings. Serve with double cream.