- 200g/7oz apples, peeled
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 200g/7oz butter
- 180g/6oz dark brown sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- 200g/7oz plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 250ml/9fl oz double cream
- 250ml/9fl oz milk
- 6 free-range eggs
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds only
- 65g/2½oz dark brown sugar
- 65g/2½oz butter, cut into cubes
- 4 tbsp double cream
- 80g/2¾oz dark brown sugar
- 80g/2¾oz butter
- 150g/5½oz plain flour
- 100ml/3½oz double cream
- 1 tsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
- ½ vanilla pod, seeds only
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2 and line a square 30x30cm/12in cake tin with parchment paper.
- For the apple cake, place the apples in a pan with 300ml/½ pint water and boil for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, add the bicarbonate of soda to the apples and blend with a hand-blender. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat to combine.
- Pour half of the apple mixture into the bowl with the butter and eggs (set aside the remaining apple purée to serve).
- Fold in the flour and baking powder until completely combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45 minutes-1hour, or until the cake is golden-brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- For the custard, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla seeds in a heatproof bowl. Suspend the bowl over a pan of simmering water and heat through to thicken, whisking constantly.
- For the toffee sauce, add the sugar and butter to a large pan and gently heat until melted. Add the double cream and warm through, then remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve.
- For the crumble topping, increase the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- Using your hands, rub together all of the ingredients to make a rough breadcrumb texture. Sprinkle the topping onto a baking tray and bake until golden-brown.
- For the Chantilly cream, whip the cream in a large bowl with the icing sugar and vanilla seeds until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl.
- To serve, spoon some apple purée onto each of four serving plates and drag using the back of a spoon to create a smear effect. Top with a slice of apple cake. Drizzle with the toffee sauce and spoon the custard on top.
- Place a neat spoonful of the Chantilly cream alongside each slice of cake, sprinkle with the crumble and dust with icing sugar.