Apple

Toss the slices with a little lemon juice, or briefly dip them in water with lemon juice, then drain. The acid slows browning; keep the slices covered in the fridge if you are not serving them straight away.

Keep them in the fridge’s fruit drawer, loosely bagged so they do not dry out. Remove bruised or mouldy fruit promptly, and store apples apart from delicate produce because they release ethylene as they ripen.

Choose firm apples that hold their shape, such as Bramley for a sharp, fluffy filling or a firm eating apple for slices that stay intact. Bramleys soften quickly, so mix them with a firmer apple if you want more texture in a crumble.

For a crumble, bake at 180 °C for about 35–45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit bubbles at the edges. Whole cored apples take roughly 30–40 minutes at 190 °C, depending on their size.

Apple’s sweetness and sharpness work well with pork, mature cheese, cabbage and mustard. Try grated apple in coleslaw, slices in a cheese sandwich, or apple alongside roast pork.

Usually, yes: use pear in crumbles, tarts and salads where apple is served in pieces. Pear is softer and juicier, so it may need less cooking and can make a filling wetter.

Yes. Wash and dry the apple well, then eat it with the skin on or peel it if the recipe calls for a smoother texture; leaving it on gives slices more colour and bite.