GOOD APPLES

Celebrate British apple season with an autumnal pork one-pot and two crowd-pleasing puddings from Barney Desmazery

- Barney Desmazery

1 INGREDIENT - 3 WAYS

I know fruit and veg are available all year round, but I feel strongly that produce should still be eaten seasonally. When I find windfall apples from the overhanging branches of my neighbour's Cox's Pippin tree, it means the end of the soft fruit season, and the autumnal apple season is upon us. I'll be swapping creamy pudding for the warming flavours of cinnamon, ginger and clove, and prepare-ahead chilled desserts for a steaming pie or crumble. A sharp apple sauce is a classic with pork, but also works wonderfully with other rich meats like duck, pheasant and black pudding. I like adding crisp apples to hearty autumn salads, too. Yes, I'm a little saddened that I won't be eating strawberries until next June, but I'm comforted by the many things I can make with this versatile fruit.

French apple tart

Apple tarts can be as simple as sliced apples and a sheet of puff pastry, but if you have the time, it's worth making this classic shop-window patisserie. If you want to simplify the process, simply use shop-bought pastry.

SERVES 8 PREP 40 mins

COOK 1 hr MORE EFFORT V

For the pastry

125g cold butter, cubed

200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

1 egg, beaten

For the filling and topping

1.75kg (about 12) eating apples, like Cox’s, Russet or Granny Smith

50g golden caster sugar

1 tbsp calvados, cognac or brandy (optional)

25g butter, melted

3 tbsp apricot jam icing sugar, to serve (optional)