◗ SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE

SERVES 4

• 30 g butter

• 85 g (7 tbsp) dark muscovado sugar

• 150ml (scant ²⁄3 cup) double cream

• ¼ tsp salt

• 2–4 large cooking apples (about 500 g), peeled, cored and chopped into 1.5 cm pieces

• 1 ready-made puff pastry sheet

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 tbsp demerara sugar

• cream or ice cream, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. In a deep pot over a low heat, melt the butter along with the dark muscovado sugar, cream and salt. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn up the heat and allow the mixture to boil rapidly for 3 minutes, stirring regularly until it forms a thick, sticky sauce. Turn off the heat.

2. Add the apples to the pot and mix the pieces around in the caramel sauce so everything is well combined, then pile them up slightly towards the centre of the pot.

3. Use the lid of the pot as a guide to cut a rough circle from the puff pastry sheet. Brush the pastry circle with the beaten egg and place it, egg-washed side up, onto the apples, gently tucking in the edges around the inside of the pot.

4. Finally, sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top. Pop the pot in the oven straight away and bake for 25–30 minutes until the pastry is crisp, risen and golden brown.

5. Remove the pie from the oven and serve with lots of cream or ice cream.