Irish Apple cake - Serves 6 approx

Apple cakes like this one are the traditional sweet in Ireland. It would originally have been baked in a pot beside an open fire and later in the oven on tin or enamel plates.

These are better than ovenproof glass because the heat travels through and cooks the pastry base more readily.! All apple cakes are made with cooking apples.

8 ozs (225g) flour

3 tsp baking powder

4 ozs (110g) butter

4½ ozs (125g) castor sugar

1 egg, preferably free-range

2-4 fl. ozs (50-120ml) milk, approx.

1-2 cooking apples

2-3 cloves (optional)

Egg wash

Ovenproof plate

Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles the texture of breadcrumbs, add 3 ozs (85g) castor sugar, make a well in the centre and mix to a soft dough with the beaten egg and enough milk to form a soft dough. Divide in two. Put one half onto a greased ovenproof plate and pat out to cover. Peel, core and chop up the apples, place them on the dough and add 1½ ozs (45g) sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apples. Roll out the remaining dough and fit on top.

Press the sides together, cut a slit through the lid, egg wash and bake in a moderate oven 180C/350F for 40 minutes approx. until nicely browned. Dredge with castor sugar and serve warm with Barbados sugar and whipped cream.