Calvados Custards with Brown Butter Crumble & Sauternes Apple

Makes 8

Calvados is an apple liqueur that you will find in good liquor stores.
You can use a good dessert wine or sticky in place of the sauternes. 

Ingredients

Calvados custards

• 165 ml (5½ fl oz/²⁄³ cup) milk

• 165 ml (5½ fl oz/²⁄³ cup) pouring (single) cream

• ½ vanilla bean, cut in half lengthways, seeds scraped

• 75 g (2½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

• 2 free-range eggs yolks 

• 30 ml (1 fl oz) Calvados

Brown butter crumble 

• 125 g (4½ oz) unsalted butter

• 125 g (4½ oz) skim milk powder

Sauternes apple 

• 100 ml (3½ fl oz) sauternes or Moscato wine

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) granny smith apples 

• 100 g (3½ oz) unsalted butter

• 80 g (2¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

To serve

• 155 g (5½ oz/¾ cup) raw (demerara) sugar 

• 8 scoops good-quality vanilla

• Ice cream

Method

For the custards 

1. Combine the milk, cream, vanilla seeds and half the sugar in a saucepan. Bring to just below boiling, then set aside to cool slightly. 

2. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks and remaining sugar. Whisk in the warm cream mixture until combined, strain into a container, then mix in the Calvados. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours.

3. The next day, preheat the oven to 95ºC (190ºF). Give the custard a good stir, then pour into eight small 10 cm (3 inches) baking dishes. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the custards are fully set, but still with a little wobble. Cool to room temperature.

For the crumble

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the milk powder and whisk constantly until the butter and milk powder turn golden brown.

2. Strain the crumble mixture over a bowl, keeping the strained butter, and placing the crumble on a tray lined with baking paper to cool. 

For the apple

1. In a bowl, combine the sauternes and lemon juice. Peel and core the apples, then cut each into about six wedges. Toss in the sauternes mixture. 

2. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt half the butter. Add half the apple, sugar and spices and cook for 1 minute. Add half the sauternes mixture and cook for 3–4 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook until the apple is soft and no juice remains.

3. Remove the apple and cook the remaining wedges the same way. 

To serve

1. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the custards and carefully caramelise with a kitchen blowtorch,
   or place under a hot grill (broiler).

2. Top with the apple wedges, crumble mix and a dollop of ice cream.