Crème brûlée with prunes in Armagnac

Name: Crème brûlée with prunes in Armagnac
Yield: Serves 4-6
Ingredients: 2 star anise pods; 50 ml Armagnac; 4-6 tbsp golden caster sugar; 4 large egg yolks; 50 g caster sugar; 300 ml double cream; 120 ml milk; ½ vanilla pod, split lengthways; 15 g caster sugar; 4 juniper berries; 150 g prunes (12-18)

Preparation info

Serves
4-6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Gourmet Food for a Fiver

By Jason Atherton

Published 2010

About

EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN FAVOURITE VERSION OF CRÈME BRÛLÉE AND THIS IS MINE. STEEPING PRUNES IN ARMAGNAC WITH STAR ANISE, JUNIPER AND VANILLA GIVES THEM A FANTASTIC FLAVOUR. HERE THEY CONTRAST AND COMPLEMENT THE CREAMY BRÛLÉE PERFECTLY.

Ingredients

Macerated Prunes:

50 ml Armagnac
15 g caster sugar
½ <

Dessert
Gluten-free
ice cream
Vegetarian

Method

Prepare the prunes a day ahead. Put the Armagnac, sugar and 80ml water into a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and add them to the pan together with the empty half-pod, star anise and juniper berries. Slowly bring to the boil. Tip the prunes into a bowl and pour the hot liquor and aromatics over them. Leave to steep at room temperature for 24 hours.