This is a terribly simple beginner's dish that takes about 20 minutes to prepare, 25 minutes to cook and nicely rounds off any dinner party or, when served cold, is ideal for elevenses with a cup of builder's tea.

Amaretto is an almond-tasting liqueur (though in fact it is made from peach pits) and is usually a staple for ladies of a certain age; this recipe gives it a little more life and brings it hurtling into the 21st Century.

Ingredients

• 1 pack of pre-made sheet puff pastry
• 8oz (220g) full-fat mascarpone cheese
• 4 heaped tablespoons icing sugar
• Amaretto to taste¹
• 8 Braeburn apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Lightly grease, with butter, a flat rectangular biscuit tray and place the pastry on it, trimming any excess.

3. In a bowl, mix the mascarpone, Amaretto and sugar. Use a good glug of liqueur to really bring the taste through.

4. Spread this over the pastry.

5. Arrange the apples over the cheese (uniform patterns usually look more impressive) and ensure that all the cheese is covered by slightly overlapping the sliced apples.

6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the edges are tanned.

7. Dust with more icing sugar and serve warm or cold with berries for that extra flourish.