After the dark and rainy weeks of late autumn, winter has arrived overnight and the landscape is covered with a thick blanket of soft snow. The sun is shining in the ice blue sky. So grab your sledge and head out into the snow or prepare for a snowball fight. Later, when weary yetis pile back into the house and become human once again after taking off their cold and wet coats, hats and scarves, the delicious smell of baked apples wafting out from the kitchen tempts the palate and is the perfect way to warm up.

Both a delicious and a healthy pleasure that keeps colds at bay. The winter apple varieties, such as the aromatic Boskoop, are packed with vitamins. Healthy and tasty, what more could you want? However, before baking them in the oven, add a few essential ingredients to make the apples an extra special treat! Either fill them according to the traditional recipe with almonds and currants, jam and cinnamon sugar or, for something a little different, with dark chocolate. And, for those with a particularly sweet tooth, why not put everything in together? When the apples finally start to bubble, the delicious aroma of cinnamon and caramelising sugar fills the air and draws everyone first to the kitchen and then to the large table where they are served.

With a special apple baker, this delicacy can also be prepared at the table. Vanilla sauce or cream add the finishing touch to this tasty dish. There’s a wonderful moment of calm when everyone’s eating and even little scallywags are silent with pleasure. Nothing is heard apart from the sound of spoons scraping the bottom of the dish. The weather’s bound to be good tomorrow because every last scrap has been eaten.

When the children finally fall exhausted into bed in the evening, the adults can enjoy a relaxing mug of mulled wine by the open fire.

Tip: How about an unusually tasty winter apple as your main meal?