Lemon Tart with Black Sesame Seed Ice Cream

— Dessert by Head Chef Andrius Barauskas, The Relais Henley Preparation time: 45 minutes (not incl 2–3 hours’ setting time) Cooking time: 30 minutes (plus 4–6 hours, if not using an ice-cream machine)

INGREDIENTS

Makes 8-10 portions

Lemon Tart Mix

150g caster sugar

360g whole free-range eggs

200ml whipping cream 125ml lemon juice 1 gelatine leaf, softened in cold water vegetable oil, to coat pastry rings

Sesame Seed Sablé

150g butter, softened 140g caster sugar 66g egg yolks

METHOD Lemon Tart Mix

1. Whisk the sugar and eggs in a large bowl to combine. 2. Add the cream and lemon juice and continue to whisk to form a very smooth mix. 3. Place the mixture over a bain-marie of simmering water and cook while stirring until it reaches 77°C. 4. Whisk in the softened gelatine and strain through a fine chinois into a jug.

5. Wipe the inside of the 6cm pastry rings with a thin film of vegetable oil and place on a tray lined with clingfilm. Pour 75g of the filling into each mould and place in the fridge to set for approx. 2–3 hours.

Sesame Seed Sablé

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2. Cream the butter and sugar in a food mixer with ½ tsp salt

200g flour, sifted 15g sesame seeds, toasted

6g baking powder

Black Sesame Seed Ice Cream

75g black sesame seeds 2 tsp sesame oil 3g ice-cream stabiliser 100g caster sugar

4 egg yolks

375ml milk

125ml double cream

½ to 1 tsp fine sea salt, to taste the paddle attachment until light and creamy in texture. 3. Reduce the speed to the lowest possible setting and gradually add the egg yolks and salt, followed by the flour, sesame seeds and baking powder to form a dough.

4. Roll the sablé dough thinly between two sheets of baking paper to fit a large baking tray.

5. Place in the oven for 10–12 minutes until baked all the way through.

6. Remove from the oven and, while still warm, cut the sablé shapes out with a 6cm pastry ring and set aside to cool. Crush the offcuts into crumbs in a food processor and set aside to serve.

Sesame Seed Sablé

1. Roast the black sesame seeds in a pan on a medium heat for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn them.

2. Transfer the seeds to a food processor and whizz until the mixture starts to resemble a thick paste.

3. Add the sesame oil and whizz for a further 10 minutes until the paste is runny enough to pour. Set aside.

4. In a clean bowl, mix together the ice-cream stabiliser and caster sugar, and add the egg yolks. Whisk until pale and fluffy.

5. Heat the milk in a pan until just boiling. Leave to cool briefly, and then slowly pour over the sugar and egg yolk mixture, while still whisking. Pouring slowly is important, so that the surface of the eggs don't overheat and scramble.

6. Return the egg yolk, sugar, and milk mixture back to the pan, and heat gently while stirring until the temperature reaches around 70°C, or the liquid coats the back of a spoon.

7. Remove from heat, and whisk in the cream and black sesame paste. Taste, and adjust salt as necessary.

8. Leave to cool, and then refrigerate until cold. Churn in an ice-cream machine, or freeze, stirring every hour until it solidifies – around 4–6 hours.

TO SERVE

1. Remove the lemon tarts from the pastry rings and place on top of the sesame seed sablés on a plate.

2. Take the blitzed sesame seed sablé offcuts and use them as a base to place scoops of the black sesame seed ice-cream alongside the lemon tarts.