Apple curd

'Making apple curd' said my friend Ruth's Facebook status.
'Ooh, lovely, recipe please!' I commented.
She turned up at breakfast a few days letter with the recipe, a sample pot and a huge bag of cooking apples. As I took the cellophane cover off, the smell of Christmas filled the room. Deliciously spicy, with the consistency of a firm lemon curd and the sweetness of jam, a little goes a long way. Cook it quickly for a soft, appley curd or slightly longer for a firmer, darker preserve. I used slightly more apples and the quantities still worked, albeit slightly less spicy...

Apple curd
1 kg cooking apples - Bramleys or similar
1/2 kg sugar
2 eggs
250g good Guernsey butter
5ml (1 teaspoon) each of ground cinnamon and ground cloves.

Peel and core the apples. Cook in a little water until pulpy. Add the other ingredients, cooking over a moderate heat until thick. Do not boil the mixture. Pot into warmed jars, cover with wax and cellophane.

I kept mine in the fridge to make sure it kept well before I could give the sweet little pots away. I don't trust myself sometimes.