Apples didn’t feature in my Christmas/New Year menus. Why would they? It’s summer and apples are an autumn fruit. But there they were – languishing at the bottom of my fridge and desperately in need of using up. It was too late to simply slice and eat them. These middle-aged wrinklies needed a serious makeover. I found this recipe in my favourite French cookbook – ‘At home in Provence’ by Patricia Wells – and adapted it to the ingredients I had on hand. It certainly dressed up these old pommes; they tasted delicious with my home-made muesli and low fat yoghurt. Try them served warm with a dollop of Greek yoghurt – yum!

Confit of Apples

1/2 cup sugar

Zest of 1 orange or lemon

3-4 apples

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

5 whole cloves

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Dash of limoncello or whatever fruit liqueur you have in your cupboard

Place sugar and zest in a bowl. Peel and quarter the apples, adding each piece to the bowl as it is prepared. toss to coat.

Transfer coated fruit, sugar and zest to a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over lowest possible heat until sugar has dissolved into a clear liquid, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add ginger and cloves. Cook, uncovered, over lowest possible heat until liquid is very thick and syrupy but fruit still holds firm, about 1-2 hours. Stir occasionally.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla essence and a dash of limoncello.