My friend Heather is very blessed to not only live in the beautiful Wiltshire countryside, but to also have many wonderful wild ingredients on her doorstep.  Standing proudly in her fruitful garden is a very handsome quince tree.  The quince is an ancient fruit, and one theory suggests that it was this succulent specimen that tempted Eve in the garden of Eden, and not the humble apple.  Heather very kindly passed on to me this sinful, gooey cake recipe, that  originates from Monty Don, along with her home grown beauties.   Before cooking them, place a bowl full in a warm spot to scent your home with their sharp, fruity aroma.

Sinful Quince cake

Ingredients:

2 quinces

2 apples

2 lemons

225g brown sugar

180g unsalted butter

2 eggs

85g self-raising flour

half tsp baking powder

100g ground almonds

50g flaked almonds

1. Preheat your oven to 180 C gas mark 4.  Line a 26cm round baking tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Peel, core and chop the quinces and apples, and place them in an ovenproof dish.
3. Grate the zest from one lemon and squeeze the juice, pouring it over the fruit with the zest.
4. Sprinkle over 50g of the sugar, cover with greaseproof or baking parchment and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven until the fruit is soft.  
5. Cream 150g of the butter and 150g of the sugar.
6. Mix the eggs and add gradually.
7. Fold in the flour, baking powder and ground almonds.
8. Fold in the cooked apple and quinces.
9. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
10. Grate the zest from the remaining lemon and squeeze the juice.
11. Melt the remaining 30g of butter and 25g sugar in a small saucepan, stir in the zest and juice and mix in the flaked almonds.
12. Take the cake out of the oven and spread this mixture on top, then bake for another 10-15 minutes golden brown.  

Cool it in the tin, but not for too long, as it resembles a pudding when eaten warm with creme fraiche.

 When out of the kitchen, Kate Hellmers of 'pugwash designs', has designed a range of seaside greetings cards.  She also, with 'mummys matter most'  (a group of mums that sew) has lovingly handmade Christmas stockings, tablecloths, blankets, cushions, aprons, oilcloth bags and much more, which will all be on sale at the Cornflower Craft Fair in Burley, Hampshire, on Saturday 8th November and at Hermits very own Bazaar in St. Catherine's Hill, Christchurch on Saturday 22nd November.