Instructions: Cover figs with warm water and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain well. Core, peel and chop 1 apple. Combine with sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes, or until reduced to a thick sauce. Cool. Beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1/2 cup prepared apple sauce and buttermilk. Sift the flour with soda, cinnamon and cloves. Peel, core and coarsely chop remaining apples and toss with drained figs, pecans and 1/4 cup flour mixture. Fold the flour and then apple mixture through butter mixture. Spoon into a buttered and lightly floured 6-8-cup fluted ring tin and cook at 180C for 1 hour, or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand in tin for 2-3 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool, or on to a platter to serve warm. Pour over a little caramel sauce, serve with vanilla ice-cream or cream and pass remaining sauce, if desired.

Caramel sauce: Combine 2/3 cup cream, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 50g unsalted butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until smooth and well combined. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve warm or at room temperature. Bon

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