Goats’ curd brûlée

Serves 3-4 Desserts and puddings

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Method

The day before, scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod, reserving the pod, and put the seeds in a bowl with the lemon zest and sugar. Lightly rub the mixture, using your fingertips, to combine.

Combine half the sugar mix, the cream and the scraped vanilla pod in a pan set over a low heat and dissolve the sugar. Once hot, add the goats’ cheese or fromage frais and gently mix through with a whisk until smooth and incorporated. Discard the vanilla pod.

Have a bowl of iced water ready. In another bowl, combine the rest of the sugar mix with the yolks and a pinch of salt, whisk together, then slowly pour a small amount of the hot cream into the yolks and mix. Return all the mixture back into the pan. Over a low heat, stir the custard constantly for around a minute until slightly thickened – no more or the brûlée won’t set when baked. Strain immediately, cool over the ice bath, then put in the fridge overnight. This helps to give the brûlée its silky texture.

The next day, preheat the oven to 125C/115C F/Gas 1⁄2. Bring the brûlée mix to room temperature, weigh it and divide it evenly into three or four ramekins. Lay a tea towel in the base of a deep baking tray and set the ramekins on top. Gently pour boiling water in until about it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins, then place the tray on the middle rack of the oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes or until just set with a slight wobble in the middle. Remove from the oven, leave to cool, then cover and put in the fridge.

When ready to serve, cover with a thin layer of sugar and caramelise the top using a cook’s blowtorch. Season with a pinch of sea salt and sprinkle extra lemon zest over and serve immediately.