Creme caramel with rhubarb compote Yummy for Mummy

THIS pudding is right out of an aspiring-tobe-posh dinner party hosted by Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances. It’s classic 1950s, perfect for Mother’s Day. Make it the day before so the toffee comes out of the dish complete with the custard. Happy Mother’s Day!

Ingredients: (serves 6) For the caramel:

100g caster sugar warm water

Cream mixture

400ml full fat milk 200ml single cream 4 large free-range eggs 1 vanilla pod

3-4 tbs caster sugar Butter

Method

Preheat oven to Gas 2 / 150C. Butter 6 medium ovenproof ramekins well, paying special attention to the base so that the toffee slides out easily.

Put the caster sugar in a small saucepan and cover with 4 tablespoons of cold water.

Dissolve over a medium heat, stirring constantly. When the sugar has completely dissolved, stop stirring and bring to a brisk boil. Watch carefully until the caramel is a golden colour.

Remove from the heat and add a further tablespoon of warm water to stop it cooking further. Take care, as this will splash and splutter.

Divide the hot toffee into the dishes and leave to set. Put the milk and cream in a pan. Open the vanilla pod, scrape out the seeds and add them with the pod.

Warm gently until it reaches hand hot and set aside to infuse the vanilla flavour. Remove the pod.

Whisk the eggs and caster sugar and carefully add the warm milk, whisking to make a custard. Divide into each dish.

Place in a deep roasting tray and gently fill the tray half full with boiling water.

Carefully lower the tray into the bottom of the oven and bake slowly for about an hour until the custards set. Remove, allow to cool and refrigerate overnight.

To serve, run a knife round the edge of each dish and, with a serving plate on top, tip over so the custard slides out onto the plate and the toffee drizzles down the sides. These can be stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours.

Rhubarb compote

3-4 stalks of rhubarb

2-3tbs brown sugar

1 small piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

1tbs cold water

Method

Wash and trim the rhubarb and cut into 2in pieces.

Place in a saucepan and add the sugar, ginger and water.

Cover and sauté gently for 15-20 minutes until the rhubarb has collapsed.

Check for sweetness, adding

more sugar to taste.