Tip GET AHEAD Mincemeat, marzipan & apple tarte fine

For the to ee sauce 75g light muscovado sugar 2 tbsp treacle

2 tbsp golden syrup

75g butter

150ml double cream

1 Put the dates, raisins, rum and 100ml water in a small saucepan and set over a low heat until steaming, about 5 mins (or do this in the microwave). Leave to cool.

2 Meanwhile, make the to ee sauce. Put all the ingredients except the cream in a small pan and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is glossy, about 5 mins. Pour in the cream and cook for 2 mins more, stirring continuously, then remove from the heat and set aside. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

3 Generously butter a 1.5-litre pudding basin. Beat the butter and sugar until well combined in a large bowl using an electric whisk, or in a stand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour, spices and the soaked fruit until evenly incorporated, then stir in the milk. 4 Pour a quarter of the to ee sauce into the base of the prepared basin, then spoon in the sponge batter. Place a sheet of baking parchment over a sheet of foil, then make a pleat in the centre. Use this to cover the pudding, parchment-side down, and tie securely under the lip of the basin using kitchen string.

5 Transfer the basin to a steamer. Alternatively, put an upturned plate in the base of a large pan, sit the basin on top, and half-fill the pan with water from the kettle so it goes halfway up the side of the basin. Cover and cook over a low heat for 2 hrs 35 mins, checking the water level every so often and topping up when needed.

6 Check the sponge is ready by inserting a skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean, the sponge is cooked. If any uncooked batter clings to the skewer, continue steaming, then check again after about 20 mins.

7 To serve, warm the remaining to ee sauce over a low heat, invert the sponge onto a serving plate, and pour over the warmed sauce. Serve with custard or ice cream.

GOOD TO KNOW 1 of 5-a-day

PER SERVING 522 kcals • fat 24g • saturates 15g • carbs 58g • sugars 35g • ibre none • protein 6g • salt 0.7g

You can make the pudding up to a week in advance. After it’s steamed, remove the foil and baking parchment and leave to cool completely. Stack a fresh sheet of baking parchment over a fresh sheet of foil, pleat, and use to cover the pudding as before. Keep the pudding in the fridge or a cool, dry place for up to one week. To serve, steam for 1 hr until fully reheated. Cover the reserved sauce and keep in the fridge, then reheat fully over a low heat for about 5 mins before serving.

Serve this French-inspired dessert with crème fraîche to cut through the sweetness of the mincemeat and marzipan.

SERVES 12 PREP 20 mins plus 40 mins chilling COOK 35 mins EASY

V320g sheet ready-rolled pu pastry 5 tbsp mincemeat (check it’s

vegetarian, if needed)

200g ready-to-roll marzipan icing sugar, for dusting

4 medium Granny Smith apples 25g cold butter, cut into small cubes 25g golden caster sugar crème fraîche, to serve

1 Line a baking sheet with baking parchment, and unroll the pastry on top. Prick all over with a fork, then spread the mincemeat over the pastry so it’s covered in a thin layer, leaving a 1cm border around the edges. Chill for 20 mins.

2 Roll the marzipan out on a work surface dusted with icing sugar to a roughly 30 x 21cm rectangle that’s about 2mm thick. Drape it over the rolling pin and lay over the pastry, on top of the mincemeat layer. It should fit neatly in the middle of the pastry, within the border. Chill for another 20 mins.

3 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6 with a baking sheet inside. Peel and core the apples, but keep them whole. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the apples crosswise, so you end up with thin apple rings. Arrange the apple rings over the marzipan in an overlapping tight spiral shape that goes from the outside into the centre, or in neat overlapping lines. Dot over the butter and sprinkle with the sugar. 4 Bake for 35-40 mins until the apples are golden and caramelised, and the pastry is cooked through. Serve in small slices with crème fraîche. will keep, covered in the fridge, for up to three days.

PER SERVING 231 kcals • fat 11g • saturates 5g • carbs 29g • sugars 21g • ibre 2g • protein 3g • salt 0.3g