Cardamom Brulee, Lemon Grass Ice-Cream, Sweet Tomatoes

INGREDIENTS

(Serves about six)

1 tomato

For the brûlée

350ml cream
110ml milk
8 egg yolks
56g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
6 cardamom pods

For the ice-cream

600ml cream
8 yolks
100g sugar
2 sticks lemon grass

For the tuile

250g flour sieved
200g egg whites
250g butter melted
310g icing sugar

For the croquant

30g ground almond
75g sugar
25g plain flour
50g melted butter
1/4tbs glucose syrup
Zest of 1/4 orange
25ml fresh orange juice

For the vanilla syrup

200g sugar
100ml water
1tsp glucose
1 vanilla pod split

METHOD

To make the brûlée crush cardamom pods then add to milk and cream and bring to the boil with vanilla pod. Mix sugar and egg yolks with boiled milk and cream pass through fine sieve and put into moulds. Cook in oven in bain-marie at 150¼C.

To make the lemon grass ice-cream put cream and lemon grass sticks in pan and bring to boil. Whisk egg yolks and sugar together add cream and cook for one minute. Cool and churn in ice-cream machine.

For the tuile biscuit blend flour and sugar add whites then butter. Pipe on to silicon mat flatten and bake at 180¼C until golden.

To make the croquant place all dry ingredients in bowl together. Melt butter in pan with glucose add orange and zest then mix in dry ingredients. Place small amount on greased baking sheet bake at 190¼C for two minutes or until golden brown. While still hot use 3in cutter to create discs.

To make vanilla syrup put sugar water glucose and vanilla pod into small pot. Boil until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture becomes a syrup.

To make sweet tomatoes skin deseed and dice tomato. Place in vanilla stock syrup.

To assemble place crème brûlée on plate and remove mould. Place one croquant disc on top. Shape ice-cream into ball and set on top of croquant. Decorate with tuile. Dress plate with diced tomatoes and stock syrup.