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Apricots baked with vanilla, cinnamon and lavender

Apricots cannot be “half baked” – the cut surfaces discolour easily and turn a rather nasty brownish-grey if the heat has not fully penetrated the fruit, so a soft, slightly melted look is what should be aimed for. From: theguardian.com Serves 6

apricots 650g
vanilla pod 1, cut in 2 lengthwise
white wine 150ml
caster sugar 100g
water 150ml
cinnamon stick ½, lightly broken
lavender sprigs 10-12 (keep 6 of the best for decoration)

Wash and remove stems of the apricots and pull apart at the natural line. Place snugly in a terracotta or ovenproof dish (ideally the one you will serve them in) skin sides down. The fruits should be slightly overlapping at this stage as they will shrink a little on baking.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. In a small pan bring the remaining ingredients (except the lavender decoration) to a rolling boil for a few minutes. Pour the entire contents of the pan over the apricots and cover with aluminium foil.

Bake for 20-30 minutes, then remove the foil and continue to bake for a further 5-10 minutes or until the apricots are soft and the syrup has become deliciously fragrant. Remove the lavender and cinnamon shards for ease of serving. Arrange the fresh lavender sprigs as decoration.