Baked apples with Calvados sauce

Method

• step 1

  Heat oven to 180C/140C fan/gas 4. (When cooked with the fan, it’s better to use a lower equivalent heat as the apple skins can burst before the apples are cooked if the heat is too intense.) Trim the bases off any apples that do not sit flat, without removing too much. Insert a small knife about a quarter way down the apple through to the core. Insert the corer at the base of the apple and slide up to the incision, twist the corer, then remove the core, keeping the apple’s stalk intact.

• step 2

  Brush a shallow ovenproof dish with some of the melted butter, then sprinkle over some of the sugar. Brush each apple with the remaining butter, then roll them in the remaining caster sugar. Place the apples in the dish and bake for 30 mins.

• step 3

  Meanwhile, for the sauce, heat the sugar in a small heavy-based pan over a medium heat until it reaches a dark golden caramel. Stir in the butter and the diced apple. Cook for 30 secs without moving the pan (use a spoon to cover the diced apples in the caramel mixture). Pour in the apple juice and bring to the boil. Stir in the diluted arrowroot, a little at a time, until it has thickened slightly, then remove from the heat and add the Calvados.

• step 4

  For the garnish, toss the bread with half of the icing sugar, then scatter onto a baking tray. Mix the nuts, Calvados and remaining icing sugar together until well combined, then spread onto the same baking tray, mixing with the bread. Bake for 8-10 mins, stirring halfway through, or until the nuts and bread cubes are golden brown. Set aside to cool. 5 To serve, place one baked apple into the centre of each of 4 serving plates. Spoon the Calvados sauce into the centre and around the apple, then sprinkle over the toasted garnish.