Name: Toffee apple squares
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: Makes about 18 squares
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 950g eating apple peeled, quartered, cored and sliced; good squeeze lemon juice; little caster sugar to taste; 100g caster sugar; 250g pack butter diced; 100g ground rice; 200g plain flour; 397g can condensed milk; 85g butter; 100g light muscovado sugar; couple pinches sea salt; 25g cornflake; 100g pecan very roughly chopped; 100g toasted whole almond

950g eating apple
peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
good squeeze lemon juice
little caster sugar
to taste

For the base

For the topping

397g can condensed milk
85g butter
100g light muscovado sugar
couple pinches sea salt
25g cornflake
100g pecan
very roughly chopped
100g toasted whole almond

Method

step 1
Put the apples in a saucepan with the lemon juice and 4 tbsp water. Cook gently, partly covered, for 10-15 mins until softened. Taste, adding any sugar if it needs it – you want it a little sharp though, to balance the sweetness of the topping. Leave to cool.
step 2
For the base, whizz everything together in a food processor. (If you don’t have one, rub the butter into the flour to crumbs, then stir in the sugar and ground rice.) Line the base of a roughly 18 x 28cm tin with baking parchment, then press the dough into the base.
step 3
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Bake the base for 20-25 mins until golden. Spread the cooled apples over the base.
step 4
For the topping, put the condensed milk, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Heat to melt the sugar and butter, then lower the heat and bubble for 10 mins or so until a pale fudge colour. Stir in the salt, cornflakes and nuts. Spoon all over the apples, gently spreading to cover. Return to the oven for another 15-22 mins until the topping is golden and crisp. Cool in the tin, then cut into squares. Can be stored for 1-2 days in an airtight container.