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Baked elderflower pears and figs with almond custard

Lotte Duncan from Good Food Live
For a subtly flavoured and sophisticated dessert try Lotte Duncan's baked fruits served with chilled almond custard cups.

Baked elderflower pears and figs with almond custard

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3.

2. Place the pears in a lidded oven-proof dish. Mix together the elderflower cordial and apple juice and pour over the pears. Drizzle over the honey.

3. Cover the pears and bake for 1 hour. Add the figs to the pears, basting with the pear juices. Bake for a further 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the almond custard. Whisk together the ground almonds, rosewater and egg yolks in a mixing bowl.

5. Heat the cream in a saucepan to scalding point. Pour the hot cream over the almond mixture, whisking well.

6. Bring a large saucepan a third full of water to the boil and place the mixing bowl over the top. Keep the water at a simmer and whisk the almond mixture until it thickens into a custard, around 10-15 minutes.

7. Sweeten the custard to taste with vanilla sugar. Pour into 4 small coffee cups, cool and chill.

8. When the pears and figs are cooked, baste once more with the juices and transfer a pear each to 4 serving dishes. Cut a cross on each fig, place a fig next to each pear and spoon over juice.

9. Grate a little nutmeg over the custard cups and serve with the pears and figs.