Recipe for :

This recipe comes from Sue Brewer who is lucky enough to live in Brittany where she has her own gites to rent - have a look for yourself <click here>

I asked Sue to do her own introduction . . . . .

"Originally from London my better half and I have lived in a little hamlet called Le Millet near Ploeuc sur Lie in France for the past three years. Although life in the Cotes d'Armor region of Brittany is quite idyllic there are some downsides, notably the price and strength of tea bags, unavailability of sliced back bacon (who can live without bacon sarnies) and finally the lack of Indian cuisine.

The first two things we must stock up on during our infrequent visits to England, but curries and bhajis - pas du problem!

I realised that the only way I was ever going to have an 'Indian takeaway' in France was to make it myself. Now this isn't as silly as it sounds; I always make the curries or whatever in large quantities and then freeze them in meal-sized portions. So Saturday night is still takeaway night, either sharing the meal with friends or to eat whilst watching some rubbish on the television - you know the sort of thing that's on TV on a Saturday night.

OK I do bring back the spices from dear old blighty as here in France they are rare and, if found, expensive (except for that awful pale yellow curry powder) but the rest is down to moi."

"The following is a favourite of ours. Breton cuisine is famous for its use of Apples and the alcoholic beverage distilled from Apples called either Eau de Vie or Calvados, and this recipe uses both".

This is a recipe of the month on Sue's web site so be sure to pay regular visits
<click here>

Ingredients

450g Cox's orange pippin or Egremont russes apples, peeled, cored and chopped
30g butter
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp sultanas
20 ml or 1 tbsp Calvados or eau de vie
200g / 1 cup caster sugar
6 medium or 4 large egg yolks
200g / 1 cup butter, softened
200g sifted flour
butter for greasing tin
20 ml / 1 tbsp milk for glazing

Method

• Melt the butter in a saucepan then stir in the prepared apples, sultanas and Calvados. Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft.

• Meanwhile, pour the sugar into a large bowl and having reserved a little yolk for glazing, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until the mixture is smooth and forms ribbons.

• Work in the butter and Calvados, then fold in the flour a little at a time until well mixed.

• Butter a deep, round loose-bottomed 20 cm cake tin. Pour in half the cake mixture, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Cover with the softened apples. Top with the rest of the cake mixture and smooth with spatula.

• Combine the reserved yolk with the milk and brush lightly over the cake. With a fork trace lines diagonally across the surface of the cake, to form a diamond pattern. Bake for about 45 mins in a reheated oven, until cooked through and golden.

• Allow to cool slightly, remove from the tin and serve cold.

Serves 8

Sue Brewer

If you would like to stay in one of Sue's cottages at Le Millet or learn more about Brittany visit her website - www.french-holiday-cottages.com or send her an email to sue@french-holiday-cottages.com