For 4 people you need

4 cooking apples 1 oz. butter 1 oz. raisins 1 oz. sultanas 1 oz. chopped glace cherries little lemon juice

Macaroon mixture

2oz. ground almonds 4oz.. granulated sugar 1 dessertspoon rice flour OR cornflour 1 egg white few drops vanilla essence

To decorate

little whipped cream 4 glace cherries

  • Core the apples and slit the skins towards the top. to prevent the apples breaking.
  • Put into the buttered dish.
  • Mix raisins, sultanas and chopped glace cherries, press into the centre of each apple.
  • Put a small piece of butter on top and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
  • Bake for 25 minutes in the oven until half cooked, remove and top with the macaroon mixture.
  • To make this: mix ground almonds and sugar and rice flour together.
  • Whisk egg white until very stiff, add vanilla essence and.the ground almond mixture.
  • Spoon over the top of each apple and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes until just golden coloured.
  • Allow to cool.

Oven temperature: very moderate, 325-350°F. -Gas Mark 3. Oven position: centre