Walnut loaf with apple butter

Equipment

• 1 Large casserole dish
• 1 Loaf tin
• 1 Baking paper
• 1 Electric mixer or bowl and whisk
• 1 Cooling rack
• 1 Sterilised jar

Instructions

1. To make the apple and rosemary butter, chop the apples into rough chunks. Don’t bother with peeling and coring as these bits give lots of flavour, colour and pectin.
2. Tip the apples into a large casserole dish and add the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and rosemary stalks.
3. Cover and let bubble away on a medium-low heat for about one hour or until the apples are soft and mushy.
4. Remove the lid and cook on low for another hour or until the apples have turned a nice deep brown, reduced and intensified in flavour.
5. Once cooled, remove the butter from the dish and store in a jar ready for spreading over the sliced loaf.
6. To make the walnut loaf, preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.
7. Cream the butter and both sugars together until pale and fluffy.
8. Add the vanilla extract, then the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
9. Fold through the flour, then the natural yoghurt and walnuts.
10. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth the top.
11. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the edges are just starting to pull away from the pan.
12. Leave to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack.