AN amateur chef from Worcestershire is urging people not to let a classic pudding vanish from the recipe books.

The Malvern Pudding, which is a type of fruit crumble made with apples and served cold, is one of the 10 most threatened British puddings because few people know about it.

Researchers asked people under 25 and over 60, if they had ever heard of a number of puddings and savouries.

The over-60s were well of aware of the dishes while the under-25s weren't.

However, Ann Davies, of Hanley Castle, near Malvern, who prepared the dish with TV chef James Martin at this year's Three Counties Show during the finals of the Heart of England Recipe Contest, wants people, both young and old, to learn how to make the Malvern Pudding.

The 51-year-old said: "It's a refreshing, lightweight pudding. Heavy puddings are things like Christmas puddings and bread pudding. They have more carbohydrates. The Malvern Pudding is also quite a healthy pudding."

Mrs Davies said she wasn't surprised few people, particularly young people, had heard of the delicacy.

She added: "I've never seen it in the stores. It's an old fashioned recipe."

Research has shown that the Malvern Pudding was first mentioned in a book called Warne's Model Cookery, written by Mary Jewry and published in 1880. There are a number of variations of how to make the pudding but Mrs Davies says her tip is to add a little extra cinnamon.

She said: "It's the cinnamon that brings out the flavour. I like cinnamon and do put a bit more in."

The survey was carried out by UKTV Food, which questioned 2,000 people.

THE RECIPE

There are a number of methods and ingredients which can be used to make the Malvern Pudding.

The following is Mrs Davies' recipe, which was given to her by a friend.

It makes enough to serve four to six people.

INGREDIENTS:

1lb of cooking apples - peeled, cored and sliced

2oz butter

2ozs of granulated sugar

grated rind of a small lemon

1oz of plain flour

1 egg beaten

three-quarters pint of milk

2oz of demerara sugar

half a level teaspoon of cinnamon.

METHOD:

Cook the apples with half the butter and granulated sugar over a low heat, covered until soft and thick. Stir occasionally.

Mix in the lemon rind and spread over the base of a one-and-a half-pint oven dish.

Melt the remaining butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Then stir in the milk, beat until smooth and remove from the heat.

Stir the rest of the granulated sugar into the sauce. Pour in the egg, a little at a time before returning pan to the heat and cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

Pour the sauce over the apples covering them completely.

Mix the cinnamon and demerara sugar. Sprinkle over the sauce and dot with a little more butter.

Place under a pre-heated grill and leave until the sugar is bubbling and toffee-like. Watch carefully so it does not burn, then remove from the heat and allow it to cool. Chill and serve cold.