Fruit compote

Peel, core and cut the apples roughly into 0.5cm slices. Place the prepared apple along with the dried fruit, the sugar and cinnamon stick into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 1L water.

Cover and place over a medium heat until it comes to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours, with the lid on and stirring occasionally, until the apples are soft and the prunes have started to disintegrate.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before adding the lemon juice, adding more to taste if you wish it to be sharper. Place in the fridge until needed. Serve cold, with slices of loaf cake.