Steamed Toffee Apple Pudding

A lovely comforting pudding. Ideal for something like Sunday lunch as it is quick to make, then it can be cooking while you dish up and eat the main course.

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   Generously smear the insides of a 1 pint pyrex bowl / ceramic pudding basin with a little butter.
   For the sauce, put the 30 g unsalted butter and 75 g brown sugar in a saucepan over a low to medium heat and melt together, then add the cream and stir for 2 or 3 minutes until it has thickened slightly into a smooth toffee sauce.
   Cream together the 100 g butter and 100 g brown sugar, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, with a spoonful of the flour. Sift in the rest of the flour, and the cinnamon and beat well together.
   Peel and core the apple, then cut into small chunks. Add 2/3 to the sponge mixture, and stir in.
   Pour the toffee sauce into the base of the buttered bowl, scatter the remaining apple chunks on top then pour over the sponge mixture. Cover with a piece of foil with a fold in the centre, and tie the foil in place around the bowl with string. Put the bowl in a saucepan and pour hot water from the kettle up to about half way. Put the lid on the pan, then set the pan over a low heat for about an hour and twenty minutes to steam. The top should be firm to touch when it is ready. Turn out onto a plate and serve straight away. Great with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of creme fraiche.