(This recipe comes from “A True Gentlewoman’s Delight ” written by The Countess of Kent in 1653.)

This will fill a 12″ Tart Tin

1 kg (2lbs) cooking apples
4 eating apples
1 glass red wine
110g (4 oz) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 piece preserved stem ginger(finely diced)

for icing :
3 oz caster sugar
2 egg whites

Short crust pastry :
12 oz flour
6 oz butter
4 tablespoons water

Peel and core the cooking apples and chop roughly.
Cook until soft with the red wine,brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger.
Take off the heat , peel, core and slice the eaters and stir into the apple puree.
Make a short crust pastry either in the food processor or by hand.
Roll out two thirds of it and use to line a 12″ tart tin.Spoon in the apple mixture and roll out the remaining third to cover the top.
Cook at 220 C , 400 F, Gas 8 for about 20 to 30 mts. until the pastry is cooked.
Beat the caster sugar up with the egg whites until well blended and smooth and spoon this mixture over the hot tart. This will set on contact and form a crunchy glaze on the pastry when it cools. This is best served warm .