Toffee apple squares

Ingredients

• 950 g eating apple cored peeled sliced quartered
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon good
• 18 servings little caster sugar to taste
• 100 g caster sugar 
• 250 g pack butter diced
• 100 g ground rice 
• 200 g flour plain
• 397 g condensed milk canned
• 85 g butter 
• 100 g muscovado sugar light
• 2 pinches couple sea salt 
• 25 g cornflake 
• 100 g pecan roughly chopped
• 100 g almond whole toasted

Equipment

• food processor
• sauce pan
• oven

Directions

1. Put the apples in a saucepan with the lemon juice and 4 tbsp water. Cook gently, partly covered, for 10-15 mins until softened. Taste, adding any sugar if it needs it you want it a little sharp though, to balance the sweetness of the topping. Leave to cool.
2. For the base, whizz everything together in a food processor. (If you dont have one, rub the butter into the flour to crumbs, then stir in the sugar and ground rice.) Line the base of a roughly 18 x 28cm tin with baking parchment, then press the dough into the base.
3. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas
4. Bake the base for 20-25 mins until golden.
5. Spread the cooled apples over the base.
6. For the topping, put the condensed milk, butter and sugar in a saucepan.
7. Heat to melt the sugar and butter, then lower the heat and bubble for 10 mins or so until a pale fudge colour. Stir in the salt, cornflakes and nuts. Spoon all over the apples, gently spreading to cover. Return to the oven for another 15-22 mins until the topping is golden and crisp. Cool in the tin, then cut into squares. Can be stored for 1-2 days in an airtight container.