Apple Maple Fool

Best made with a crisp & tart apple, like Granny Smith, if you know someone with a tree take some of theirs - they're generally not as sweet as the supermarket varieties. Brown sugar is to taste, but the maple syrup will make it sweeter. Cook time doesn't include chilling time.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 8  granny smith apples, peeled, cored & sliced evenly
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  tablespoon soft brown sugar, to taste
• 1  cinnamon stick
• 2  tablespoons lemon zest, fine
• 4  tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 1⁄4 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons pure maple syrup, extra

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan and add the apples.
2. Bring to a slow heat, then add the brown sugar, cinnamon stick and lemon zest. Cook slowly until the apples are soft and breaking down (you don't want total mush though), stirring often so they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
3. Cool a little, then add the 4T of maple syrup, stirring until it is soaked through. Put into the fridge to cool totally (remove cinnamon stick).
4. Whip the cream into soft peaks, then fold this through the apple mixture. Put into 6 individual dishes and chill.
5. Just before serving garnish with the extra maple syrup (I normally make a small indentation on the top of the fool & nestle approx 1 teaspoon of the syrup in that).