The last Thursday in May is Take a Girl Child to Work Day, held in South Africa since 2003. Companies involved organize for female learners (school pupils), usually from disadvantaged backgrounds, to spend the day at their place of work. The initiative is organized by Cell C, a cellular service provider, and endorsed by the South African Department of Education. It has been called South Africa’s “largest collaborative act of volunteerism.”
Here is a recipe for South African malvapoeding, which translates as “marshmallow pudding” even though it contains no marshmallows. Kids love it hot or cold with cream.
Ingredients
Pudding
½ cup milk
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
1 ⅓ cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 pinch salt
1 cup superfine sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp apricot jelly
Sauce:
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup white sugar
½ cup water or orange juice
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350º F/175º C.
Grease a 1-quart oven-proof baking dish.
Heat milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from heat; set aside.
Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl; set aside.
Beat 1 cup of superfine sugar and the eggs together in a separate bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy and light colored, about 5 minutes. Gradually beat in the apricot jam.
Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture alternately with the warmed milk mixture using a spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Heat the heavy cream, remaining ½ cup of butter, ½ cup white sugar, and water/orange juice in a saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
Remove the pudding from the oven; pierce several times with a skewer or fork. Immediately pour the hot cream mixture over the pudding.
Serve hot or cold.
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