INGREDIENTS
Rosemary sugar
1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Custard
2 cups (500ml) thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tbsp caster sugar
4 egg yolks
Thyme poached plums
¾ cup (180ml) white wine
¾ cup (265g) honey
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Pinch of salt
500g firm plums (or other stonefruit),pitted and cut into segments
2 tbsp (40ml) brandy (optional)
METHOD
1. For the rosemary sugar: combine rosemary and sugar in an airtight container. Shake to combine and leave at least overnight.
2. For the custard: put the cream, vanilla and rosemary in a small saucepan and bring it slowly almost to the boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and strain into a jug.
3. Meanwhile whisk the egg yolks with the sugar with a small electric beater until the sugar dissolves. Continue whisking while pouring in the cream with all the vanilla seeds.
4. Pour the mixture into a clean saucepan and return to the stove. Carefully stir (don’t beat or mixture will be too aerated) over a gentle heat until it thickens, taking care not to let it boil. Run a finger down the back of the spoon you are stirring with and if the mixture stays apart, it's done. Quickly place the pan in a bowl or sink of cold water, continue stirring for a few minutes to stop it cooking.
5. Divide mixture between 4 x ½ cup (125ml) ramekins, filling as much as possible, and put in fridge to chill completely for a few hours or overnight.
6. For the plums: combine wine, honey, thyme and salt in a medium large saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve honey, reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes for flavours to develop. Place plums in the hot syrup, return to heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 3–4 minutes or until fruit is tender but not falling apart. Use a slotted spoon to remove the plums from the poaching syrup and set aside. Continue to simmer syrup over medium heat until it has thickened, about 10 minutes, then stir in brandy if using. Return plums to the
syrup and serve hot, room temperature or cold with crème brûlée.
7. To serve, remove rosemary from the sugar and lightly sprinkle sugar over the top of the ramekins and using a blowtorch brown the sugar. Sprinkling the sugar with a little water can make it easier to caramelise. You can also do this with a brûlée iron or under the grill, packed in an oven tray surrounded by ice. If desired, you can repeat this process a few times, sprinkling only thin layers of sugar to enhance the structure of the toffee, giving it a good cracking texture.