2 eggs ½ teaspoon almond extract 150g (5 oz) butter, melted 350g (12 oz) cooking apples, peeled and cored 25g (1 oz) flaked almonds Preheat the oven to 160ºC/Fan 140ºC/Gas 3. Lightly grease a deep 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin. Measure the flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, almond extract and melted butter into a bowl. Mix well until blended, then beat for a minute. Spread half this mixture into the prepared tin. Thickly slice the apples and lay on top of the mixture in the tin, piling mostly towards the centre. Using 2 dessertspoons, roughly spoon the remaining mixture over the apples. This is an awkward thing to do, but just make sure that the mixture covers the centre well as it will spread out in the oven. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds. Bake in the preheated oven for 1¼-1½ hours until golden and coming away from the sides of the tin. Mary Berry's Christmas Collection is published by Headline, £20. British larder's Russet apple compote recipe