Polish Apple and Orange Mazurka

Traditionally served at Easter time this Polish recipe for apple shortcake will prove popular with the whole family. It has a texture in-between shortbread and a cake. Serve warm or cold in slices.

Ingredients
Prep: 15mins Cook: 40mins Serves 12

225g/8oz plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, pinch of salt, 100g/4oz caster sugar, grated zest and juice 1 orange, 175g/6oz butter, 2 egg yolks, 3 tbsp double cream

Topping: 500g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and sliced, 75g caster sugar a few flaked almonds

Preparation
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Sift the flour, and baking powder into a bowl, add the salt, sugar and orange zest. Add the butter and rub in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs.

2 Beat the egg yolks and cream together then stir into the flour mixture and mix with your hands to make a crumbly dough. press into the base of a 26 x 16cm (approx. 10x 61/2in) rectangular tin, pushing it up a little around the edges of the tin to make a rim. Prick the base all over with a fork. Bake for 20mins.

3 Remove from the oven. Toss the apple slices, caster sugar and juice of half the orange together then arrange the apple slices over the dough. Bake for further 20mins or until the slices are tender but not mushy. If liked you can pop the mazurka under a hot grill to caramelise the apple slices slightly. Leave to cool slightly in the tin before cutting into 12 rectangles. Serve warm or cold with cream.