There is nothing quite like hot baked apples and pastry, just out of the oven and smothered in cream or ice-cream, or custard - it's all so yummy and wholesome.

I made this galette at the start of apple season and have since tinkered a little with the recipe so that it is better still - plus apples are still going strong.

With spring having reared its wonderful warm head, the sun beckoning for time outdoors and a little more movement after a winter of way too much sitting - it is so nice to tuck into this for dessert, when the chill of the air sets back in and it's time to retreat to the cozy comfort inside.

What I love about galettes is how quick they are to prepare, how versatile they are ( you can so easily change the fruit to pears or berries for instance, add in some nuts, or alter the flavours), and how they can be as rustic or as fancy as you want and still look and taste delicious.

I've added an almond cream in this galette, a slight adaptation of a really great almond cream by Laduree which adds an extra degree of flavour and creamy lusciousness, whilst protecting the pastry from any moisture released by the fruit so that it remains crisp.

This recipe feeds six to eight - although I do think four could manage it in a sitting easily, that's what my family tells me anyway!

I used a little spelt flour in the crust and I try to use cultured unsalted butter if I can (it's the European in me). Be very careful not to overwork the dough and remember to rest it. Most of all when building the galette don't worry if it's not perfect, imperfection and free form is the key to this - try to express you own individual style.

For the pastry:

200g plain flour

50g white spelt flour

2 tablespoons raw caster sugar

125g unsalted cultured butter

pinch salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 cup iced water

For the almond calvados cream:

(adapted from Laduree Sucre)

50g butter, unsalted

50g pure icing sugar

60g blanched, ground almonds

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

1 tablespoon calvados (generous)

a pinch of salt

1 egg

2 teaspoons cornflour

4-5 apples

Cinnamon and white pepper sugar:

1/2 cup raw sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Good since of white pepper.

To make the pastry:

Mix flours, sugar, salt and cinnamon together in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Cut the butter into 1/2 to 1 cm cubes and add it to the flour mixture.

Using a paddle attachment turn on the mixer to medium and mix the flours and butter etc together until the mixture is combined and resembles coarse breadcrumbs

Pulse in the iced water until the dough just comes together. Remove it from the bowl onto a bench and squish together with your hands without working too much until you have a cohesive ball. Flatten the dough into a round disc and wrap in a sheet of baking paper and chill for 30 mins. The baking paper can be used for baking later.

For the almond calvados cream:

Soften the butter in the microwave until the centre is just starting to become liquid.

Combine the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until fluffy. Beat in the almonds with the vanilla and salt. Beat in the egg and calvados until cohesive then mix in the cornflour. Set his aside until ready to assemble.

Toppings:

Wash, quarter and core the apples. Slice them into even pieces along the long end of the quarters, or cut them decoratively with a paring knife.

Combine all the ingredients together for the sugar.

To assemble:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it between two pieces of baking paper to a circle of approximately 35cm diameter.

Use a small plate to mark a circle in the centre of the pastry disc.

Spread the almond cream evenly inside the marked circle.

Arrange the apple slices on top of the almond cream, then sprinkle with the cinnamon and pepper sugar before enclosing them in pastry.

I like to use the paper to help lift the pastry up then pleat it at intervals to enclose the apple and almond filling.

Sprinkle more cinnamon and pepper sugar over the top of the pastry.

Bake the galette for about 25-30 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Serve warm with cream or custard.

Serves 6 to 8 adults.