And another year has raced by! Here we are at the end of December, 2014, looking back at the year that was. It’s been a mixed bag, but one with so much to be thankful for. Not travelling to India over the winter, as is most usual for us, December has been a time to really savour the joyful sights, sounds and flavours of the holiday season in Vancouver.

At the winter farmers market, there’s an abundance of apples, pears and pumpkins. About town, the sounds of  jingling bells and  Christmas carols  mingle sweetly with the fragrance of cinnamon and nutmeg. No other month brings so many temptations and opportunities to indulge in an excess of calories. From turkey dinners with all the trimmings, to fruitcakes, butter cookies, gingerbread, hot chocolate, and every kind of sweet treat imaginable, this is quite the time to throw caution to the icy winds, indulge yourself , and save the resolutions for the new year!

This holiday season, I’ve rediscovered an old, beloved recipe from my mother’s recipe file. It’s another of those desserts she learned to make through her Army wives’ club, and it was one she made very often for her lunch and dinner parties.

It’s a delicate apple custard, enriched with ground almonds and whipped cream, and served chilled, topped with toasted nuts. The original recipe possibly had the custard layered over layers of sponge cake, as is more typical for a gateau. My mother made it without the cake, and it’s perfect for those times when you know you have room for just a little more!

Now, about those resolutions…

Apple Gateau

• 4-6 ripe apples
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup sugar, or to taste
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1″ stick cinnamon
• 2-3 cloves (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup blanched, ground almonds
• 1 1/2 tbsp gelatine soaked and prepared according to package instructions
• Blanched toasted nuts for topping

Peel and core the apples, dropping them into a bowl of cold water mixed with the lemon juice in it to prevent discolouring.

Cook the apples with 1/2 cup of the water, sugar and cinnamon and cloves until soft.

Remove the whole spices. Cool the stewed apples, add the butter, egg and ground almond and blend together.

Return to the heat and cook gently for about five minutes, stirring all the time.

Remove, cool a little, then add  the gelatine and stir until completely dissolved.

Whip the cream and fold into the cooled mixture.

Pour into a serving dish, cover, and chill until set.

Serve topped with toasted nuts.

For a delicious winter variation, cover with finely sliced apples, sprinkle some fine granulated sugar on top and place the gateau under a hot broiler for a couple of minutes.The sugar will caramelize, and the upper layer of the apple gateau will soften slightly, while the bottom layer stays firm.

Happy New Year!