Plum brioche charlotte

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Put the plums into a frying pan with 75g of the sugar and the star anise. Heat very gently, stirring frequently, until the plum juices start to run and the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat a little and cook for 5–10 minutes more until the plums are soft and there is plenty of syrup. 

2. Blend the cornflour with a little of the apple juice until smooth. Stir in the rest and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, until the juices have thickened slightly. 

3. Generously butter a shallow baking dish or pie dish with a capacity of about 1.2 litres. Press 4 of the brioche slices into the dish. Melt the butter and drizzle half over the brioche. Tip the warm plum mixture into the dish on top of the brioche. Slice each of the remaining brioche slices into 3 pieces and arrange casually on top of the filling. Brush generously with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the rest of the sugar.

4. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the brioche crust is crisp and golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Delicious with crème fraîche or Greek yogurt.