An old sayings is „An apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze!” – so we’ve given a recipe for cheese pastry. Use mature Cheddar for the best flavour.

serves: 6
calories per serving: 485
fat per serving: 25g

for the pastry:

·         250g plain flour

·         Pinch of salt

·         60g butter

·         60g lard

·         90g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

for the filling:

·         60g caster sugar

·         3 tablespoons cornflour

·         1 level teaspoon ground cinnamon

·         4-5 crisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

·         Beaten egg, for glaze

·         24cm enamel pie plate

Set the oven to fairly hot, Gas Mark 6 or 200C.

To make the pastry: Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the butter and lard and rub it in until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the Cheddar. Add about 3-4 tablespoons water and mix to just bind the pastry together. Chill the pastry for about 15 minutes.

To make the filling: Tip the sugar into a bowl and stir in the cornflour and cinnamon. Add the sliced apples and turn to coat them in the mixture. Cut the pastry in half and roll out one portion on a lightly floured work surface to cover the base of the pie plate. Arrange the apple slices on top, leaving a narrow rim clear around the edge. Roll out the other portion of pastry, brush water over the pastry rim and place the pastry over the top. Press the edges together well to seal them and trim around the rim of the plate. Press around the edge to crimp it. Make 2-3 small holes in the top of the pastry to allow the steam to escape during cooking. Brush the top with egg glaze.

Bake the pie in the centre of the oven for 25-35 minutes, until the pastry is golden, and the apples feel tender when a skewer is pressed through one of the holes in the top. Remove the pie from the oven and serve it hot, warm or cold. Not suitable for freezing.

The easiest way to pop the corn is using a popcorn maker.

serves: 2
calories per serving: 379
fat per serving: 25g

·         45g popping corn

·         60-90g butter

·         1 rounded tablespoon golden syrup

·         60g caster sugar

·         Baking tray, lined with baking parchment

Set the oven to cool, Gas Mark 2 or 150C. Pop the popping corn, either following the instructions on the machine, or in a pan. If using a pan, choose one with a tight-fitting lid and melt 30g butter in it. Add corn to the pan and coat it in the butter. Place the pan, with its lid on, over a medium heat. Shake pan occasionally, keeping the lid on. When popping is heard, shake pan so that it pops evenly. When the popping sound has stopped, remove the pan from the heat. Remove lid carefully, in case any corn pops out. Turn the corn out into a bowl, discarding any pieces of corn that haven’t puffed up.

To make butterscotch:

Place 60g butter with 2 tablespoons water in a pan and add the golden syrup. Place pan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Add the sugar and stir until butter has melted, then stop stirring, increase the heat and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, until the syrup turns a very pale golden colour.

Pour the syrup over the popped corn, and work quickly, using 2 forks, to coat the corn in syrup. Turn corn out onto the baking tray and spread it out. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until it’s a light golden colour, turning it halfway through cooking. Remove the baking tray from the oven and leave the corn to cool slightly. The popcorn may be left in large pieces, or broken up. It’s best eaten on the day it’s made. When cold, place in an airtight container, as it gets sticky quickly. Not suitable for freezing.