Serves 4

600g granny smith apples

80g unsalted butter

80g caster sugar, plus extra, for sprinkling

2 vanilla pods, split lengthways

250g puff pastry (thawed overnight if frozen)

100g unsalted butter, softened

6 cox’s apples

Peel and roughly chop the granny smiths. Melt the 80g of butter in a pan, add the granny smiths and 80g sugar. Scrape out the seeds of 1 vanilla pod into the mixture, then drop in the pod. Cook on a moderate heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to make a thick compote. Remove the pod, and in a blender, blend to a pulp. Rub through a sieve into a pan and set aside.

Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to a 50cm x 14cm rectangle. Cut into 12cm rounds. Place on a baking tray and rest in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Scrape out the seeds of the other vanilla pod and mix with the soft butter. Set aside. Heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7. Peel and core the cox’s apples. Cut the apples in half and slice thinly.

Prick the pastry discs with a fork. Spoon some apple compote into the middle of each disc, then fan the apple slices on top, so they overlap tightly over the compote and pastry, starting from the middle.

Lightly brush the apple slices with the vanilla butter, then sprinkle with a little caster sugar. Bake for 10 minutes and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Gidleigh Park, Chagford, Devon, TQ13; 01647 432367, gidleigh.com

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