A recipe contributed by Mike and Sue Spring of Domain du Garinet, producers of the fabulously tasty Pruneaux from the Agen Region of France.

300g prunes with stones in
2 teabags (Earl Grey or similar)
400g apples
2 tabs runny honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 orange – juice and zest

270g ready-to-use flakey pastry
Icing sugar to dust (optional)

For serving: crème fraîche or yoghurt

Method

- Soak the prunes in hot tea until they’re soft enough to remove the stones. Drain.
- Peel and core the apples.
- Remove stones from the prunes and chop them and the apples into fairly large pieces.
- Cook the fruit, honey, orange juice and cinnamon over a low heat until the apples are tender.
- Set the oven to 200°.
- Cut the pastry into two pieces (one slightly larger than the other).
- Roll out each piece of pastry.
- Lay the larger one in a shallow tin.
- Spread the filling on the pastry and sprinkle over the orange zest.
- Lay the second piece of pastry on the filling as a lid and seal the edges.
- Make a slit or hole in the middle of the lid to let out the steam.
- Cook the pie near the bottom of the oven to make sure the base is well cooked (about 20 mins).
- Remove when the pie is a nice golden colour. Lightly sprinkle it with icing sugar.

Serve hot or warm, on its own or with crème fraîche. It can be cooked beforehand and simply warmed through just before serving.

The filling is also delicious just as it is – not made into a pie – with crème fraîche or yoghurt.