Raymond Blanc's favourite apple varieties

'Adam's Pearmain'

This old reliable, English dessert apple has medium-size, slightly russeted fruit. It is harvested in October and stores for over three months. It has good disease resistance. 'I like the creamy flesh and rich nutty, almost dry flavour,' says Raymond.

Pollination group: 2

Best for: purees and tarts

'Blenheim Orange'

This dual-purpose dessert and cooking variety can be eaten raw when young or cooked when more mature. Harvest in early October; fruits store for two or three months. Raymond says: 'This is one of my favourite varieties as it has a spicy, russet flavour and is very versatile - you can use it in so many different ways.'

Pollination group: 3 (triploid)

Best for: purees and tarts

'Bramley's Seedling'

This cooking apple grows on vigorous, sprawling trees, so it is best for larger gardens only. Harvest in November; fruits store for over three months. It has good disease resistance. 'For me this is too acidic for normal cooking, but it breaks down into the perfect texture and flavour for purees,' says Raymond.

Pollination group: 3

Best for: purees

'Braeburn'

This dessert apple comes from New Zealand and can go into a 'sulk' in cool summers, so it needs your sunniest and warmest corner. Compact, it's good for small plots. Harvest in October or November; fruits store for three months. Raymond says: 'I love the tart, richly apple-y flavour.'

Pollination group: 4 (self fertile)

Best for: tarte tatin

'Captain Kidd'

A dessert variety that is related to Cox's Orange Pippin, with a similar flavour, but much easier to grow. Harvest in November; fruits store for two months. 'Aromatic and crunchy, with creamy-white flesh and an amazing flavour,' is Raymond's verdict.

Pollination group: 3

Best for: juicing and tarts

'Cox's Orange Pippin'

This apple has an excellent flavour but can be a little temperamental - it's rather disease-prone and dislikes the cold and wet. Harvest in October; fruits store for three months. 'World class!', says Raymond. 'This has the best flavour and is the best for savoury dishes because it isn't too sweet.'

Pollination group: 3

Best for: purees, tarts and tarte tatin

'Granny Smith'

A dessert variety that needs a long, hot summer. Harvest in October; fruits keep for three months. Raymond says: 'This has a refreshing acidity, which I love, and it also holds its texture really well when sliced and cooked.'

Pollination group: 3

Best for: tarte tatin

'Chivers Delight'

A dessert apple that is easy to grow and stores well, for up to three months. Harvest in October or November. 'I adore the rich, honey flavour of this apple, which is similar to the Cox. And I like the way it 'fluffs' when it cooks without disintegrating.'

Pollination group: 4

Best for: baking and tarts

'Egremont Russet'

A small, russet dessert apple with firm flesh. Harvest fruits in October; they will store for three months. 'This has lovely layers of richness and acidity. The flavour is nutty and dry., and it becomes deeper when it is stored.

Pollination group: 2

Best for: juicing and tarts

'Lord Lambourne'

A reliable, compact tree, turning out heavy crops of dessert apples, year after year. Harvest fruits in September; they will keep for two months. 'I like the balance of acidity and sugar, which gives a complex, aromatic flavour. The flesh is crisp, too.'

Pollination group: 2

Best for: tarts

Growing for flavour

Raymond's head gardener, Anne Marie Owens, shares her tips for great apples:

• Variety is key, so visit an apple day to taste as many varieties as possible, and grow only what you love.
• Go for naturally disease-resistant varieties where possible, especially if you garden organically.
• Plant two from the same pollination group, to improve cropping. Or grow a self-fertile variety.
• Thin the fruitlets in July to one or two per cluster, leaving the healthiest - you'll get fewer fruits but they'll be top quality.
• Keep an area of soil clear of weeds and grass around your tree, about 1m across, to reduce competition and boost growth.
• Feed trees each spring with slow-release fertiliser, such as pelleted poultry manure.
• Leave late varieties on the tree for as long as possible to mature the flavour.
• Apples are fully ripe when they come away with a gentle twist.