Ingredients

• 40g/1¾oz butter
• plus extra for greasing
• 400g/14oz plums
• stones removed
• cut into eighths
• 75ml/3fl oz plum brandy
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• 4 cloves
• 175g/6oz demerara sugar
• 175g/6oz butter
• softened
• 250g-325g/9-12oz plain flour
• 4 free-range egg yolks
• 40g/1½oz caster sugar
• 50ml/2fl oz plum brandy
• 150ml/5fl oz milk
• 150ml/5fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• 200g/7oz clotted cream
• to serve

Directions

• For the spiced plum crumble
• preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Heat a pan until hot
• add the 40g/1¾oz of butter and all of the plums and cook for 2-3 minutes
• or until the plums have just softened.
• Add the brandy to the pan and carefully light to burn off the alcohol. (CAUTION: Keep clothing and flammable items well clear.)
• Add the cinnamon sticks
• star anise and cloves
• then cook for for a further 3-4 minutes
• until the plums have softened and broken down slightly.
• Grease the insides of four 7.5cm/3in diameter 6cm/2½in tall chefs' rings well with butter. Wrap the sides and bases of the rings with aluminium foil
• pressing firmly around the base to give a good seal.
• Place the rings onto a baking sheet. Spoon the plum mixture into the bottom of the rings and pack down well.
• Rub the 175g/6oz of softened butter and the sugar together in a bowl using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Mix in the flour to form a crumble and sprinkle the crumble into the chefs' rings over the top of the plums
• pressing down gently.
• Transfer the baking sheet with the filled chefs' rings to the oven and bake for 15 minutes
• until the crumble is golden-brown and cooked through and the filling is bubbling.
• Meanwhile
• for the plum brandy custard
• whisk the egg yolks
• sugar and plum brandy in a bowl until well combined.
• In a separate pan
• heat the milk
• cream and vanilla pod in a saucepan until it just starts to boil
• then reduce the heat and simmer for one minute.
• Pour the milk mixture and the egg mixture into the bowl and whisk together until well combined.
• Return the custard mixture to the saucepan and heat slowly over a low heat
• stirring constantly with a wooden spoon
• until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon.
• Remove the vanilla pod. (You can use wash and dry the vanilla pod and use it again in another recipe.)
• To serve
• lift the filled chefs' rings off the baking tray
• and carefully remove the foil
• placing one filled chefs' ring directly onto the centre of each serving plate. Carefully remove the chefs' ring from each crumble. Pour the custard to one side and finish with a spoonful of clotted cream.