Apple tarte tatin with pepper ice cream

Method

1. To make the ice cream, bring the cream and milk to the boil in a medium pan. Cream the egg yolks and sugar together, pour the milk and cream over and whisk thoroughly. Return to the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.

2. Remove from the heat, add the peppercorns and cover with cling film. Once cold, sieve and then churn in an ice cream maker, and freeze until solid.

3. To make the tart, add 60g of the butter to a hot frying pan. Once foaming, add the apples and toss for 1 2 minutes until golden. Remove and cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 200?C/gas 6. In the frying pan, heat the sugar, the remaining butter and the vanilla pod until caramelised. Cover the base of a round 22cm mould with foil. Pour in 2 tbsp of the caramel mixture, 1 star anise and a small piece of vanilla pod. Arrange 8 slices of the apple in the mould and cover with a round of puff pastry, tucking the puff pastry down the edges. Cook until the pastry is golden brown. Turn out and serve with a scoop of the pepper ice cream.