This wonderfully different dessert will bring a ray of sunshine to any day, and the deliciously tart gooseberries showcase British fruit at its very finest.
Serves4
CourseDessert
Prepare10 mins
Cook45 mins
Total time55 mins
Ingredients
300ml double cream
300ml whole milk
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out and reserved
½ lemon, zest
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
For the compote
300g Cooks' Ingredients Gooseberries
½ tbsp caster sugar
5 tbsp elderflower liqueur
Method
Preheat the oven to 140?C, gas mark 1. Put the cream, milk, vanilla pod and seeds, and lemon zest in a pan and heat gently until almost boiling. Take off the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for 5 minutes.
Using a balloon whisk, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar until pale. Remove the vanilla pod from the cream mixture, then pour it over the egg mixture and whisk until combined.
Boil a kettle and put 4 x 200ml ramekins into a high-sided roasting tray. Strain the custard mixture into a jug, then divide it between the ramekins. Pour boiling water into the tray until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35-40 minutes until just set. Carefully lift out of the roasting tray and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make the compote. Put the gooseberries and sugar in a pan; warm over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the gooseberries have begun to break down. Set aside to cool. Stir in the elderflower liqueur. Spoon a little of the compote onto each custard and serve any remaining alongside.
Cook’s tip
This recipe first appeared in Waitrose & Partners Food, Summer Desserts supplement, July 2019 issue. Download the Waitrose & Partners Food app for the full issue.