Three delicious components make up this impressive dessert. The fir tree sprig used to flavour the custard takes it to another level.
Ingredients
For the custard
- 300ml/10½fl oz
double cream - 1 sprig Douglas fir pine
- 6
egg yolks - 50g/1¾oz
sugar - 300ml/10½fl oz whole
milk
For the blood orange curd
- 4
blood oranges, zest and juice - 110g/4oz
butter - 175g/6oz
caster sugar - 4 free-range
eggs, beaten
For the coconut tuilles
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted
butter - 85g/3oz fresh or
desiccated coconut - 85g/3oz
icing sugar, sifted - 25g/1oz
plain flour - 2
egg whites
Method
For the custard, in a saucepan, bring the double cream and milk to the boil.
In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together. Pour the hot cream and milk onto the eggs, whisking as you go.
Return to the pan and place on a low heat. Gently cook the custard, stirring all the time, until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, or reaches 82C/180F on a cooking thermometer. Add the fir sprig and bring back to the boil. Take the custard off the heat and allow the fir to infuse for up to an hour while the custard cools.
Pass through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover the surface with cling film to prevent a skin forming and leave to chill in the fridge.
For the blood orange curd, place the orange zest, juice, butter and sugar into a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. (Don’t let the bowl touch the water).
Whisk occasionally until the sugar is completely dissolved then beat in the eggs and whisk until thickened and cooked through.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
For the coconut tuilles, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a baking tray with a silicone mat or baking parchment.
Melt the butter, then leave until cool, but still runny.
Blend the coconut in a food processor until finely ground, but not powdery. Add in the icing sugar and flour, and blend again, then add the egg whites followed by the cooled butter and blend until you have a smooth, slightly runny paste.
Put a teaspoon of the mixture on the silicone and spread with the back of a dessertspoon into a neat thin 7cm/3in circle. Repeat to fill the tray with circles.
Bake for seven minutes, or until pale golden-brown around the edges. Remove and scrape off on to a wire rack to cool. To shape, press each one over a rolling pin as it cools, to make a curved tuille.
To serve, put some of the orange curd onto serving plates. Whip the custard to foam it and layer it on top of the curd. Top with coconut tuilles.