Mature Red Leicester, Apple and Damson Creme Brûlée

Method:

The Chutney

– Cut the wild damsons in half and de-stone.

– Peel and core the apples.  Chop the flesh of the cooking apples into medium sized chunks.

– Cut the onion and tomatoes into a medium dice.

– Place all chutney ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 ½ hours. Cool and refrigerate.

 

The Brûlée

– Grate the Red Leicester, add it to the cream, and place in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and  pour ½ of the cream over the whipped yolks. Whisk the yolks and creams to thoroughly combine before returning to the pan.

– Cook out the eggs by gently heating the mixture, whisking constantly until the mixtures reaches 82⁰C. Remove from heat, pass through a chinois (or fine sieve) and whisk in a bowl over cold water until cool.

 

Assemble

– Preheat the oven to 150⁰C.

– Place the cold chutney in the bottom of the ramekin, pour over the cooled Brûlée mix, sprinkle over some of the grated Red Leicester.

– Place the brûlée in the oven to bake lightly until golden.

– Serve with pikelets or rustic crusty bread cut into sticks.