(Recipe first posted on Patreon)
I was eleven years old the first time I attended a Redwall feast.
Not at the Abbey, of course—but in the real world, at a gathering with family friends who also adored Brian Jacques’ books. We spent the afternoon cooking and dressing up, surrounded by laughter and the scent of cinnamon, and then we all sat down together to a woodland banquet laid out on mismatched wooden and pewter plates. It was the first time I experienced the joy of bringing a fictional feast to life—and looking back, I think it planted the seed for everything I do now.
One dish from that day stuck with me more than the others: a simple “apple pudding” made by the other mom. I don’t know how she made it exactly—when I asked her years later, she couldn’t remember—but I’ve never forgotten the taste. Soft vanilla with a hint of apple flavor, like a cozy hug in dessert form. I’ve been chasing that memory ever since.
This is my best attempt to recreate it, with a little jazzing up because I can’t help myself. It’s not fancy—just a box of vanilla pudding mix and a handful of apples, gently sautéed with butter and brown sugar. But the result is pure Redwall style comfort, and pretty close to that elusive memory…
Redwall Apple Pudding Recipe
Makes: ~4 servings – Prep: 10 minutes – Chilling: 1 hour
Ingredients:
- 1 box vanilla pudding mix (the cook & serve kind—not instant, for better texture)
- Apple juice and milk (half and half per quantities on the box)
- Pinch cinnamon, plus more for the topping
- pinch nutmeg
- 2–3 apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1–2 Tbs. butter
- 1–2 Tbs. brown sugar
Prepare the pudding as directed, but use apple juice in place of half the milk. Stir in a pinch each of the cinnamon and nutmeg. Let it cool slightly, or for an hour, covered, in the fridge, if serving much later.
Meanwhile, sauté apple slices in butter and sugar until tender and lightly caramelized. Add cinnamon if desired.
Spoon warm apples over the pudding and serve warm… or chill and layer them for a soft, sweet parfait. It’s also delicious with some granola sprinkled over the top.