Apple charlotte

COOKING TIME 45 MINUTES

SERVES 4

450g (1lb) peeled, cored and chopped apples (Bramley or Cox are ideal)

1 tbsp caster sugar

110g (4oz) unsalted butter

6 medium-thickness slices of bread, crusts removed

1 egg yolk

Cream or custard, to serve

PLACE THE CHOPPED APPLES in a saucepan with the sugar and 25g (1oz) of the butter. Cook over a low heat until soft and broken down. Remove from the heat and purée the apple in the pan with a hand blender. Leave to cool.

MELT THE REMAINING 85g (3oz) of butter in a saucepan or the microwave and brush it over one side of each bread slice, making sure the bread is well covered. Cut into rectangles and use most of them to line a 20–25cm (8–10in) pudding basin or round cake tin, 12cm (4½in) in depth, placing the pieces buttered-side down and slightly overlapping (reserve a little bread for the top). Press down firmly.

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 180°C (350°F), Gas Mark 4. When the apple purée is cool, whisk in the egg yolk and pour the mixture into the bread-lined basin or tin. Cover with the remaining sliced bread, butter-side up, and press down firmly. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Carefully turn out onto a warmed plate and serve with cream or custard.