Baked apples

Ingredients

6 Bramley cooking apples
50g chopped dates
50g sultanas
50g raisins
25g chopped almonds or hazelnuts
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
75g soft brown sugar
1 level teaspoon ground mace or mixed spice
40g butter
150ml (1⁄4 pint) sweet sherry or Madeira

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4. Wash and core apples.
Score skin around the middle of each apple to prevent it bursting during baking and stand close together in a well-buttered ovenproof dish.
Mix the chopped dates, sultanas, raisins and nuts with the orange rind and juice. Pack the centres of the apples with this mixture. Top with a knob of butter.
Pour the sherry or Madeira around the apples and bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes, basting occasionally.
Serve hot or warm with pouring cream.