Apple "cake" with vanilla syrup

Preheat the oven to 120°C (100°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 20cm round spring form cake pan; line base and side with baking paper. Put a large sheet of baking paper on an oven tray and put the cake pan on top. Twist the baking paper up at the sides so that it will catch any escaping syrup.

Place the sugar and apple juice in a small saucepan. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the rind from the lemon in thick strips. Squeeze the juice from the lemon. Add the juice, rind, vanilla bean and cloves to the saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil; reduce heat to low, simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Peel apples; remove cores using an apple corer or small sharp knife. Thinly slice the apples crossways into thin circles. Layer the slices in the cake pan, lightly brushing each layer with some of the vanilla syrup. Bake uncovered for 3 hours. Brush some of the escaped syrup over the top of the cake and then cover the cake pan with foil. Cook, covered, for a further hour. The cake will be lightly golden on top and will have shrunk. Cool in pan.

Remove side from cake pan and carefully lift the cake on to a serving plate. Drizzle with any of the remaining syrup.

Serve in thick wedges with cream or ice-cream, if desired.