Eliza Acton's Oven-baked Apple Sauce

To make the apple sauce, put the apples into a pudding basin or small casserole with the sugar and sprinkle a tablespoon of water over them.

Then put a lid on (I use a saucepan lid with a pudding basin) and bake in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until the apples are soft and reduced to a pulp.  Next, add the butter and beat the apples with a wooden spoon until smooth, then transfer to a serving dish.  Hand the sauce around separately