Buttermilk Sponge

Ingredients(8)

50g butter, soft

200 ml castor sugar

5 X-Large eggs, separated

500 ml buttermilk (1 carton)

1 vanilla pod, split open lengthwise

60 ml cake flour

1 ml salt

250 ml chilled long-life cream

Method

Pre-heat oven to 160 ° C. Lightly grease a fairly shallow but large oven dish.

Beat the butter and sugar together, then mix in the egg yolks and buttermilk thoroughly.

Scrape the vanilla seeds from inside the pod, directly into the mixture, then gently blend in the flour and salt.

Beat the cream and egg whites separately, until stiff peaks form. Lightly fold them both in evenly to the buttermilk mixture, ensuring a fluffy consistency is maintained.

Pour this mixture into the prepared dish, placed in a larger surrounding dish with water poured in to reach at least halfway up the sides of the dessert oven dish.

Bake for 1 – 1 ¼ hours.

Serve immediately, with honey or warmed jam drizzled over.

Hints and Tips

Add in strawberry essence to the mixture, if you will be serving strawberry jam as the topping

Add the unused vanilla pod outer to a jar of sugar, for it to impart a vanilla flavour to the sugar for your next baking session.

#buttermilk #pudding