Serves 8

750g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and sliced

75g caster sugar

150g Medjool dates, stoned 100ml apple juice, plus another 2 to 4 tbsp

6 sponge fingers

2 tbsp Calvados

3 organic egg whites

Baby meringues

Icing sugar for dusting or snowy sprinkles to decorate

Put the apples in a medium-size saucepan with the sugar and 100ml water. Bring to the boil, cover and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway, until the apples collapse to a mush. Purée in a liquidiser, transfer to a bowl and leave to cool.

Whizz the dates with 100ml of apple juice. Cover the base of a 20cm trifle bowl with 6cm of sponge fingers, sugared side down. Either combine and sprinkle over 2 tbsp of apple juice and 2 of Calvados, or just 4 tbsp of juice. Spread the date purée on top. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the cooled apple purée in two goes. Pour this over the trifle base and decorate with meringues. Cover and chill for at least half a day. If you make this a day in advance, decorate with meringues closer to the time. Dust with icing sugar or scatter over snowy sprinkles before serving.

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