Curds and wheyhey
IN MY KITCHEN: Andrew Pern at the Star Inn at Harome.
Combine all the curd mixture ingredients in a mixer for about 10 minutes. For the pastry, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix to a soft dough. Add water, if necessary. Roll the pastry out and line four 10cm tartlette cases, making sure your tins have been greased or they are nonstick. Chill in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Remove from fridge, fill each case with the curd mixture and bake in a moderate oven at 190C/Gas Mark 5 for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Heat the brandy up in a pan with the sugar and allow the sugar to melt. Pour over the pitted prunes and leave them in the fridge overnight to marinate. Remove the prunes the next day and allow to drain a little. To make the custard, heat the cream up in a saucepan. Beat the yolks and the sugar together. When the cream is warm, pour a little over the yolks and stir well. Pour the yolk mixture back into the cream, then strain.
Chop the prunes and add them to the custard. Pour into an ice-cream machine and churn until ready. Match this dessert with the honeyed marmalade flavours in Rustenberg Straw Wine 2012, Majestic, normally £13.49, now down to £8.99 (for 37.5cl) on multi-buy. Or push the boat out and head for the complex dried apricots and toasted nutty flavours of Castello di Brolio Vin Santo del Chianti Classico 2005, £25.99 for 50cl, Roberts & Speight, Beverley.
Place all ingredients into a saucepan and allow to simmer until the liquid takes on a syrupy consistency. Strain off the liquid and retain. Purée the raisins until smooth. If the mixture is too dry, add back the liquid saved from cooking to achieve the required consistency.
Serve slightly warm to give a nice contrast with the ice cream. Place the tartlet in the centre of the plate with a generous spoonful of the purée on the top. Serve with a scoop of the ice cream.