Method: Peel, core and dice apples. Combine apples, water and lemon rind in a large saucepan. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes. Mixture should be mushy with few chunks of apples left.

Add sugar and allow to melt while simmering on low flame. When sugar melts add cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice. Watch closely and stir often to prevent burning. Apple sauce should be thick, not watery. Serve warm or chilled.

Sugar quantity may be increased or decreased depending on the variety of apples used: If apples are very sweet decrease sugar and if sour then increase a little.

Ingredients

Apples 4

Plain flour 1 cup

Milk powder 1/2 cup

Sugar 1/4 cup

Walnut (chopped roughly) 1/2 cup

Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp.

Baking powder 1 tsp.

Cinnamon powder 2-3 pinches

Salt 3 pinches

Lemon rind grated 1 tsp.

Chilled cream 1 cup

Sugar ground 2 tbsp.

Method: Sieve together flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon powder. In another bowl, make paste (with water) of milk powder, or pour condensed milk. Beat till light and fluffy. Add sugar while beating. Stir in rind, essence, followed by dry ingredients in the mixture.

Peel core and dice apples. Fold in apples and walnuts. Turn into a 9" greased cake mould, bake in pre-heated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes. Skewer should come out clean when done. Serve with whipped cream.

Apples 2

Raisins 1/2 cup

Plain flour 1 cup

Wheat flour 1 cup

Sugar ground 1 cup

Baking powder 3/4 tsp.

Baking soda 1/2 tsp.

Cinnamon powder 1/4 tsp.

Milk 1 cup

Butter 3/4 cup

Method: Wash raisins, drain, keep aside. Peel and finely chop apples. Sieve dry ingredients together 2-3 times. Melt butter in large pan, take off fire. Add milk, and gently fold in dry ingredients. Add raisins and apples, mix very lightly. Keep mixture a bit lumpy, and do not mix too much (lumpy batter makes better muffins).

Pour spoonfuls of mixture greased in muffin trays, or in small cups.

Bake in preheated oven at 200°C in centre rack for 20 minutes till firm and done.

Apples 4

Eggs 2 large

Plain flour 1 1/2 cups

Butter 1 cup

Caster sugar 1 cup

Milk 2 tbsp

Molasses 1 tbsp

Baking powder 1 1/2 tsp

Dry ginger powder 1 tsp

Method: Peel and dice apples. Pre-heat oven to 190°C. Sieve baking powder and flour together thrice. Beat sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs one by one. Add a little flour with the second egg. Beat in the molasses. Fold in the rest of the flour and ginger powder. Add milk if the batter is thick. Fold in half the apples. Spoon half the cake batter into a greased and lined cake tin. Place the remaining apples on the batter and top with the rest of the batter. Cover the tin with a double piece of grease proof paper and bake for 45-50 minutes. Top with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Decorate with apple slices.

Apples 4

Flour 2 cups

Water 3 cups

Oil 2 tbsp

Sugar 2 cups

Sesame seeds 1 tbsp

Method: Prepare toffee by heating 1 tbsp oil in a pan add sugar, sesame seeds and 1 cup water and stir on medium heat till the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to boil the mixture for 5 minutes or till it becomes light golden. Keep aside.

To make batter: Mix flour with 1 tbsp oil and 2 cups water and stir till smooth. Heat oil. Coat apple pieces with batter and deep fry in hot oil in batches till golden brown.

Dip one piece of fried apples at a time in the toffee. Remove immediately and place in a bowl of iced water. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.