BOURBON AND PEANUT BUTTER CRÈME BRÛLÉE

My version of this classic dish is decadent and delightful in equal measure, with the gentle warming quality of bourbon and a sweet nuttiness from the peanut butter. Makes 4 160g (5¾oz) caster sugar 500ml (18fl oz) whole milk 45ml (2fl oz) bourbon whiskey 5 large egg yolks 100g (3½oz) smooth peanut butter (Sun-Pat is best) Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas 3. Have 4 x 175ml (6fl oz) ramekins and a deep-sided roasting dish ready. Heat a pan over a high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Tip 100g (3½oz) of the sugar into the pan and let it slowly melt and caramelise – you want a dark amber colour. You can stir the sugar as it starts to melt, but don’t overdo it as it could crystallise. An easier, but longer, method is to put the 100g (3½oz) sugar in the cold pan with 4tbsp cold water. Dissolve the sugar in the water, then set the pan over a high heat and bring to a boil without stirring. Allow the water to boil away until the mixture becomes the dark amber required.

Reduce the heat to low and slowly add the milk a drop at a time, whisking well. Once all the milk is incorporated and the mixture is fairly smooth, add the bourbon and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until smooth, then add the peanut butter a spoonful at a time, beating with a wooden spoon after each addition until smooth. Add the hot milk mixture, a drop at a time, to the egg mixture while whisking constantly. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a jug, then divide between the ramekins.

Put the ramekins in the roasting dish and pour in boiling water to threequarters of the way up the ramekins. Bake for 40-45 minutes, then remove from the oven. Allow to cool, then cover and chill for 2 hours or overnight. Before serving, preheat the grill and sprinkle the remaining 60g (2¼oz) of sugar over the crème brûlées. Toast them under the grill until the sugar melts and caramelises, then serve.