Crossword Genius

Mottled fruit item given to daughter (6)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

dapple

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'mottled' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'fruit item given to daughter' is the wordplay.
I cannot really understand how this works, but
'fruit' could be 'apple' (apple is a kind of fruit) and 'apple' is present in the answer.
'daughter' could be 'd' (genealogical abbreviation) and 'd' is found within the answer.
This accounts for all the letters.
This may be the basis of the clue (or it may be nonsense).

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for dapple that I've seen before include "Patch of colour or light" , "spot" , "Variegate with spots" , "Mark(ed) with spots" , "mottled" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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