Ingredients

• 5 free-range egg yolks
• 50g/2oz caster sugar
• 85ml/3fl oz milk
• 3 vanilla pods
• split and seeds scraped out
• 500ml/17fl oz cold whipping cream
• demerara sugar
• for sprinkling
• 100g/3½oz strawberries
• hulled and quartered
• 100g/3½oz raspberries
• 100g/3½oz redcurrants
• 100g/3½oz blackcurrants
• 100g/3½oz blackberries
• caster sugar
• to taste
• small handful fresh mint
• chopped

Directions

• For the crème brûlées
• place the egg yolks into a bowl with the sugar and mix together until well combined.
• Place the milk into a pan and bring to the boil with the vanilla pods and seeds.
• Pour the milk into the bowl with the egg mixture and mix well. Add the cold cream
• cover
• then leave to infuse for 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 100C/200F/Gas ½.
• Remove the vanilla pods and divide the mixture among eight ramekins
• filling each one to just below the rim. Place the ramekins onto a baking sheet
• transfer to the oven and bake for approximately an hour
• or until set. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
• For the marinated summer fruits
• wash the fruits and leave to drain in a colander. Place a large handful of the fruit into a bowl with caster sugar
• to taste
• and mash with a fork. Gently stir in the remaining fruit and the chopped mint and leave to stand for five minutes. Taste and add a little more sugar if the fruit is too sharp.
• Sprinkle the top of the crème brûlées with demerara sugar
• then heat with a mini-blowtorch until caramelised. (Alternatively
• place them under a very hot grill for 30 seconds
• or until sugar has carmelised.)
• To serve
• place the crème brûlées onto serving plates with a spoonful of marinated fruits.