Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz strong white flour
• 2 tsp fast action yeast
• 80g/3oz caster sugar
• 125ml/4fl oz full-fat milk
• 2 medium free-range eggs
• 2 tsp fine sea salt
• 250g/9oz unsalted butter
• chilled
• 3 tart eating apples (such as Granny Smith)
• cored and peeled
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 20g/¾oz unsalted butter
• 50g/1¾oz raisins
• 35g/1¼oz walnuts
• coarsely chopped
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 100g/3½oz Cheshire cheese
• grated
• freshly ground pepper
• 1 large free-range egg
• beaten
• for glazing

Directions

• For the dough
• warm the milk and 90ml/3fl oz water in a small saucepan until lukewarm.
• Place all the other ingredients
• except the butter
• in the bowl of a freestanding mixer with a dough hook attachment
• making sure the yeast doesn’t touch the salt. Add three-quarters of the milk and water mixture.
• Start the mixer on a low speed until all the ingredients are incorporated. Add a bit more liquid if the dough seems too dry; you want a slightly sticky dough. Increase the speed and mix for seven minutes.
• Spread the dough out onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Cover with cling film and place in freezer to cool.
• Using a rolling pin
• flatten the butter out between two pieces of baking parchment into a rectangle 33x19cm/13x7½in and place in the freezer.
• After 15 minutes remove the dough from the freezer and roll it out to a rectangle 50x20cm/19½x8in. With a short edge towards you
• place the flattened butter on the lower two-thirds of the dough.
• Fold the top third of dough over the butter and then fold the bottom third upwards so all the butter is encased. Press the edges firmly together.
• Turn the block of dough 90 degrees and roll out to 50x20cm/19½x8in. Fold the top third down and the bottom third up and place back in freezer for 15 minutes.
• Repeat the rolling and folding twice more
• placing the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes in between. Store covered in the fridge until ready to use.
• Meanwhile
• for the filling
• chop the apple into 5mm chunks and place in a large heatproof bowl. Add the lemon zest
• mixed spice
• butter
• raisins
• walnuts and sugar.
• Cover with cling film and place in a microwave on the highest setting for six minutes (you could also do this in a saucepan
• cooking until the apples are softened). Stir to combine
• then spread the filling out on a plate to cool completely.
• Cut the pastry into two equal pieces and roll out one half on a well-floured work surface to a thickness of 4mm.
• Using a 11cm/4½in round cutter
• cut out six circles. Place a tablespoon of the apple filling in the centre of each circle and sprinkle a little Cheshire cheese on top. Season with pepper.
• Brush a little beaten egg around the edge of each circle of pastry. Fold in half to enclose the filling and press to seal.
• Place each pastry on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Repeat the rolling
• cutting and filling process with the second batch of dough to make 12 chaussons. Cover the chaussons with cling film and allow to prove at room temperature for 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. (Do not use a fan-assisted oven.)
• Make three cuts in the top of each chausson to allow steam to escape and brush with beaten egg. Bake for 20 minutes
• or until well risen and golden-brown.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack.