Baked Apples with Vanilla Sauce

Soak apricots in lukewarm water for about 20 minutes. Rinse orange in hot water and wipe dry. Grate zest from half of an orange and squeeze juice. Drain apricots and dice finely. Crush marzipan and combine with orange juice and zest, mix until creamy. Add diced apricots, raisins and nuts.

Rinse apples, cut off lids from the stalk sides and core with an apple corer, making sure not to pierce apple skin. Fill apples with marzipan mixture and replace lids. Oil baking dish. Arrange apples in a dish and bake in preheated oven at 200°C (approximately 400°F) (fan oven 180°C; gas mark 3) for about 40 minutes.

Slit vanilla pod and combine with milk, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Seaparate eggs (use egg whites another time). Whisk egg yolks with sugar in a bowl until creamy. Slowly add warm milk to egg yolk mixture and return mixture to the pot. Simmer on a very low heat, stirring, until sauce thickens.