Instructions: Derry Clarke, chef-proprietor of the highly acclaimed LEcrivain Restaurant in Dublin, gives a traditional Irish soda bread a new identity by using it as the base for an upside-down apple tart. In place of the usual scoop of vanilla ice cream, he balances the sweetness of the tart with an unusual sorbet made with Irish blue cheese and cider.

1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup Irish whiskey
2 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup cold butter or margarine (divided; see note)

1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup superfine or Bakers Sugar
1 tablespoon ground cardamom
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced horizontally (about 16 slices)

Cashel Blue Cheese and Cider Sorbet (recipe follows)

In small bowl, combine raisins and whiskey and soak 30 minutes.

In large bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder and granulated sugar.

With pastry cutter, 2 knives or fingers, cut or work1/2 cup of the butter into flour until it is consistency of crumbs.

Drain raisins and reserve whiskey. Add raisins to flour, then stir in buttermilk and blend to make a dough. Gather dough and press together until it forms a ball. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, then roll or pat to form 12 inch-diameter circle (large enough to fit quiche pan).

Combine superfine sugar, reserved whiskey, remaining1/4 cup butter and cardamom in large skillet and heat until butter melts and sugar caramelizes. Add apple slices in batches and cook 2 to 3 minutes (they should still be crunchy).

Remove apples with slotted spoon and continue to cook until caramel thickens.

Spread caramel on bottom of 9- or 10 inch quiche pan. Starting in center, arrange apple slices by overlapping them in 2 circles over the caramel. Cover with circle of dough.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake tart until crust is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Place serving plate on top and invert. Slice and serve warm with Cashel Blue Cheese and Cider Sorbet.

Note: Use real butter or stick margarine. Do not substitute reduced-fat spreads; their higher water content often yields less-satisfactory results.

Cashel Blue Cheese and Cider Sorbet

1/2 pint lemon sorbet
1 cup apple cider
4 ounces Cashel Blue Cheese or other blue cheese

Let sorbet soften at room temperature. Stir in cider and blue cheese and refreeze.

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