Whenever I've made this Leap Year Pudding I've wondered how and why the name, originated.
Surely this dessert wasn't only made every 4 years?
Perhaps it has something to do with the old tradition that women were allowed to propose marriage in a leap year.
Ingredients
2 eggs
3 tbsp butter [level]
½ cup sugar
1 cup cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1¼ cup [300ml] milk
3 tbsp apricot jam
2 tbsp castor sugar
Making the Leap Year Pudding
Preheat oven to 350oF [180oC]
Separate the eggs, slightly beat the yolks, reserve the whites
Soften the butter
Beat butter, in a large bowl, with a wooden spoon, gradually adding the sugar, beat until light and creamy
Add the egg yolks beating well
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt
Then sift into the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with a little [ about ¼ cup ] milk
Beat the mixture until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed
Thoroughly grease a baking dish and spoon the mixture into it
Bake for +/- 30 minutes until done, [a toothpick will come out clean]
Remove the pudding from the oven but keep the oven hot
Pour the remainder of the cold milk over the pudding
Spread the apricot jam on top
Whisk the egg whites and castor sugar until stiff peaks form
Spoon the meringue mixture on top of the dessert
Return the pudding to the hot oven and continue baking until the meringue is golden brown
Well, whatever the reason for calling it "Leap Year Pudding" it's an absolutely delicious dessert and worthy of its strange name
