Toasted brioche with melting Cheshire cheese and honeyed apricots

Fancy a girls’ night in? Then make this yummy recipe for a tasty snack or light meal to enjoy with your girlfriends, whilst watching a DVD and catching up with the gossip.

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 12 minutes

Ingredients

> 250g/9oz fresh apricots, halved and pitted

> 2 tbsp clear honey

> 150ml/1/4 pint unsweetened apple juice

> Pinch ground mixed spice or ground cinnamon

> 4 thick slices brioche or fruit bread

> 4 tsp butter, softened

> 150g/5oz Cheshire cheese, sliced

Instructions

1 Put the apricots into a saucepan with the honey, apple juice and ground mixed spice or cinnamon. Simmer over a medium-low heat, uncovered, for about 6-8 minutes, until the apricots are tender. Lift them from the pan with a draining spoon. Continue to simmer the liquid until it has reduced down to a syrupy consistency.

2 Preheat the grill.

3 Spread one side of each slice of brioche or fruit bread with a little butter. Grill this buttered side until lightly browned. Flip the slices over and top with the Cheshire cheese. Grill until melted and bubbling.

4 Serve the toasted brioche or fruit bread with the apricots spooned on top, drizzled with the reduced apple juice and honey syrup and decorated with mint leaves.