Sandy Hellig from Cornucopia Cooks, Eynsham, inspired this dish. She cooks it regularly, using crisp croissants that have been made with butter — part-baked croissants contain a fat that makes the outcome greasy. Having made it to her instructions, I found it a delicious variation on the classic bread and butter pudding and a great way of using up all those apples I have at the moment.

YOU WILL NEED Two croissants — each sliced horizontally into five or six pieces.

One beaten egg made up to 350ml with half full-fat milk and half double cream.

Two cooking apples and half a dessert apple A handful of raisins 2oz (50g) sugar 1oz (25g) butter Grated nutmeg.

METHOD Peel the cooking apples, remove the core and cut into chunks.

Melt the butter in a frying pan, add half the sugar (1oz) and the apple chunks and fry gently to obtain a caramelised finish.

Place the caramelised apple into a pudding dish large enough to contain two sliced croissants. Scatter raisins on top.

Fit croissant slices over the apples.

Carefully pour the milk mixture over the top, allowing the croissant slices to absorb it as you do so.

Slice the dessert apple half into very thin slices, leaving the skin on, and insert them into the pudding so they can be seen.

Scatter the rest of the sugar on top, grate a little nutmeg over the top and place in a moderate oven (180C, 350F or gas mark 4) and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the top is crispy and brown.