Perfect comfort food for a blustery autumn day – simple and quick to make and always a winner with the family!
Simply make some shortcrust pastry (as much as needed for number and size of apples) – double the weight of flour to butter (or marg), plus a pinch of salt and then a little water to bring it together, wrap it tightly in greaseproof and rest in the fridge for at least an hour or until needed. As a guide 8oz flour to 4oz marg should cover four large cooking apples easily.
Peel and core the apples, pack the centre with things you love… mine would be dark Muscavado sugar and some chopped dates, maybe a little cinnamon too, you could add nuts, crystallised ginger, honey, cranberries or other dried fruits. This is another great way to use up leftover mincemeat (also see Quick Chelsea Bun recipe!)
Wrap the apples in pastry circles, pleating it round and tucking it in to one end of the apple. Don’t make the pastry too thick, you can trim off any excess to keep it neat. Place the apples tucked-side down in a baking tin or ceramic serving dish, then make pastry leaves for the tops and bake at 175 degrees till nicely browned, when you eat them the apples will be cooked inside, the sugar will have created a lovely goey toffee sauce in the centre of the apple, then you just need lashings of pouring or clotted cream to serve … or your favourite non dairy alternative of course.
Luscious!