Baked egg custard and nougatine 'soldiers'

Method

1. For the baked egg custard: preheat the oven to 120C/gas ½ .

2. Roughly crush the nutmeg in a pestle and mortar.

3. Add the milk, cream and crushed nutmeg to a large pan. Cover the pan in cling film and then bring to a simmer on a low heat. Once hot, remove from the direct heat to allow the nutmeg to infuse the milk and cream.

4. Crack open the eggs using an egg shell cutter to keep the shells whole. Separate the yolks and whites and set aside the egg box. Carefully wash and dry the egg shells as you will be serving the custard in the shell.

5. Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Pour the cream mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks. Set the egg whites aside for use in another recipe.

6. Place the open egg box in the centre of an oven tray. Poor a little freshly boiled water over the box so that it moistens the carton and just covers the bottom of the tray. Arrange the 6 empty shells back in the box.

7. Pass the egg custard through a metal sieve to remove all of the nutmeg and poor the custard into the egg shells, making sure they are filled right to the top. Cover the tray with heat-proof cling film and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes.

8. For the nougatine: put the sugar, glucose and butter in a heavy-based pan and simmer over a medium heat until the mixture comes together as a light caramel. Stir from time to time.

9. Stir in the flaked almonds and continue to cook for a couple of minutes to allow the almonds to brown.

10. Lightly grease a palette knife with butter. Pour the almond caramel onto a heat-proof mat and spread out thinly with the pallet knife. When the nougatine has cooled down but not set (this should take 5-10 minutes) place on a chopping board and cut into long pieces.

11. Serve the egg custard in egg cups with the nougatine ‘soldiers’ on the side.