Apple Shortcake is a real treat. Think of it as being like the easiest apple tart you’ll ever make. It has a melt-in-the-mouth shortbread biscuit base, a jammy middle, and a supple apple top so  it’s really three treats in one!

Serves 4 – 6 (although double up if you’re feeling very hungry, or if you are using a large tart dish. I used a 7 inch tart dish so the tart was quite petite, roughly the size of a generous side plate.)

If you are in a hurry (like me!) then don’t fret about presentation.  You can simply pour the apple slices on top of the tart for speed and gently reshuffle for a delicious and even distribution of apple.

Or, if you’re feeling fancy, then you can arrange the apple slices with great care so the tart resembles a swirl (as in the picture above).

For the shortbread base:

4 oz butter (plus a tiny bit extra for greasing)

3 heaped tbsp icing sugar

5 oz plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

For the topping:

3 apples (This tart works well with eating apples, like Cox, or Jazz)

3 heaped tbsp apricot jam

Juice of one lemon

 

Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

Soften the butter, and sift in three heaped tablespoons of icing sugar.

Mix together with a tablespoon before whisking slowly and gently with an electric whisk until it’s a nice, creamy texture.

Sift in the plain flour and cinnamon, and fold into the creamy butter mix before whisking gently with an electric whisk again.

Add the vanilla extract and stir, ensuring it’s a nice, fairly soft dough-mixture.

Grease out your tart dish with a bit of butter and add the shortbread dough. Alternatively, you can use an ordinary cake tin, lined with a very large cake case like these from Lakeland.

Gently press the dough into the base of the dish so the dough is the same height all over. Prick well with a fork.

Pop the shortbread dough into the oven for about 12 – 15 minutes, until it is a nice golden colour.

While the shortbread base is cooking, it’s time to prepare the apples.

Wash the apples and peel before chopping into thin slices.

Pop the slices into an inch of water in a small saucepan and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the apple starts to soften. Remove from the heat and drain any excess water away.

Once the shortbread base is out of the oven, spoon over three heaped tablespoons of apricot jam on top, spreading it with the back of a spoon. (Extra brownie points if you use homemade apricot jam!)

Arrange the apple pieces on top of the tart in any way you please. Fast or fancy – both work well!

Squeeze the juice of the lemon over the top, ensuring each piece is covered in lemon juice.

Lower the temperature of the oven to about 160C and pop it back in for about 5 minutes.

(Remember the base of the shortbread will still be cooking so err on the side of caution and take out as soon as you think the jam has warmed up.)

Serve with a scoop of your favourite vanilla ice cream and enjoy!