Spiced plum tarte tatin with bay, anise and sherry cream

Serves 6-8

The spices used in this plum tart might seem slightly unusual – especially the pink peppercorns – but they all combine beautifully with the rich, slightly liquoricey bitter-caramel undertones of the plums. Pedro Ximénez, as well as being wickedly black and sweet, has its own anise qualities, making it an ideal flavouring for the accompanying chilled cream. We favour blood plums here, for their gorgeous moody colour, but use whatever variety suits you best.

For the sherry cream

finely grated zest of 1 orange and juice of ½ orange

125g crème fraîche 80g Greek-style yogurt 30ml Pedro Ximénez sherry icing sugar, to taste

For the tarte tatin

— 50g unsalted butter

— 50g caster sugar

— 2 bay leaves

— 2 star anise

— ½ vanilla bean, split lengthways and seeds scraped

— 1 tsp pink peppercorns,

lightly crushed

— juice of ½ orange

— 12 blood plums, halved

and pitted

— 225g good-quality butter

puff pastry Start by making the sherry cream. Combine all the ingredients except the sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk together well, then taste and add sufficient sugar to please your own palate. Chill until required.

Preheat the oven to 210C/ 190C fan/gas mark 6½.

Combine the butter and sugar in a 25cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan and cook over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the bay leaves, star anise, vanilla bean and seeds, peppercorns and orange juice, and cook over a high heat for 8-10 minutes,