Overall timing: 1 hour 2 minutes

3 1/2 lb. oven ready duck
Salt and pepper
6 Granny Smith apples
1 oz. butter
1/2 pt. carton of single cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, gas 6. Sprinkle duck inside and out with salt and pepper. Prick all over with a fork and place on wire rack in roasting tin. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F, gas 4.

Peel and core apples. Cut two of them into quarters and leave the rest whole. Arrange around the duck, dot with butter and continue roasting for 1 hour or until tender.

Remove duck and apples from the tin. Place duck on serving plate. Keep hot. Pour off excess fat from pan juices, then stir in the cream. Replace apples in tin and baste thoroughly with the sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.

Arrange apples around duck. Spoon some sauce over. Serve the rest separately.