Baked apples

Serves 4

Apple varieties such as large Cox's orange pippins, Braeburn or Jonagold work well for this dish, although, like potatoes, apples can be a bit temperamental and react differently during cooking. It all depends where you got them, how they were stored as well as how ripe or unripe they are. You may have four apples in the oven from the same batch and one may take much more, or less, time than the rest. The filling can be varied according to your taste, with more or less spice, or even the addition of nuts such as ground almonds or walnuts.

4 large apples (see above), cored
8tbsp sweet mincemeat
65g fresh white breadcrumbs
1tsp ground cinnamon
2tbsp brown sugar
Custard or thick Jersey cream, to serve

Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas mark 5. Mix the mincemeat, breadcrumbs, cinnamon and sugar together. Cut 4 pieces of foil large enough to wrap the apples. Put each apple in the centre of its square of foil and fill the core cavities with the mincemeat mixture. Fold the foil up loosely and put them on to a baking tray.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Check the apples after 40 minutes, as the odd one may need removing before the rest if it cooks quicker. Serve with custard or thick Jersey cream.