Rosemary poached plums and pain perdu

Method

1. For the pain perdu: whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the double cream, vanilla extract and salt and whisk until well combined. Soak the bread in the mixture for 15-20 minutes, turning the slices over occasionally to ensure they are well coated.

2. For the plums: combine the water, balsamic vinegar, marsala wine, vanilla pod and seeds in a non-reactive saucepan. Add the plums and fit the rosemary sprigs around them. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the plums are tender.

3. For the caramel sauce: in a saucepan, combine 125ml of the water with the sugar and rosemary and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the brandy, salt and another 100ml water and cook for 5 minutes. Strain, discarding the rosemary, and set aside.

4. In a wide-bottomed frying pan, melt some butter over a medium-high heat. Wipe away any excess custard from the soaked bread and fry for 2-3 minutes on both sides, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining bread, adding more butter to the pan as necessary.

5. To serve, place one round of pain perdu on each serving plate, then spoon the poached plums over the top. Drizzle with the caramel sauce and serve with some extra double cream.