Spiced Apple Cinnamon Pudding with Toasted Walnuts

Steps

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring, 3 to 4 minutes until fragrant; tip them onto a plate to cool and keep the pan.
2. Melt the butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add the apple, one quarter of the brown sugar and one fifth of the cinnamon; cook, stirring, 6 to 8 minutes until tender. Spoon the apples evenly into 4 dessert cups and keep the pan.
3. In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch, the remaining three quarters of the brown sugar, the remaining four fifths of the cinnamon, the nutmeg and the salt. Whisk in about one quarter of the milk until smooth to make a slurry.
4. Pour the remaining three quarters of the milk into the saucepan and heat over medium until steaming. Whisk the slurry again and pour it into the pan.
5. Cook, whisking constantly, until the pudding bubbles and thickens, then cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
6. Pour the pudding over the apples in the cups. Press plastic wrap onto the surface and chill at least 2 hours until set.
7. Just before serving, sprinkle the toasted walnuts over the puddings.