The monkey's nuts

Ingredients

Directions

FOR THE PASTRY CREAM

FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE

FOR THE BUTTERED APPLES

FOR THE PRALINE

Preheat the oven to 220c/425f.

1 Cut out 2 x 10cm/4" squares, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until risen and golden.

2 In a medium saucepan boil ½ pint milk and ¼ pint cream. Add a few drops of vanilla essence to the mixture.

3 In a bowl combine the yolks, caster sugar and cornflour. Whisk in the hot milk and cream, return to the pan, stir continuously and allow to thicken.

4 Stir in a few drops of Benedictine and then allow to cool. Heat ¼ pint double cream with 2 tbsp milk, orange zest and the chocolate.

5 Poach the lychees in 2fl oz water, 1 tbsp sugar and a few drops of Benedictine liqueur. Use the poaching liquor to thin down the pastry cream if necessary. Fry the apples in the butter and sugar until caramelising.

6 Melt the remaining sugar in a pan until it forms caramel. Stir in the nuts, pour the mixture onto oiled foil and allow to cool and set.

7 When cooled, blend the mixture into a fine powder. Scatter the powder onto a piece of baking parchment and place back in the oven until remelted.

Allow to cool again.

8 To serve, decorate the plate with icing sugar. Put the pastry cream inside the pastry, and top with the chocolate sauce and apples. Scatter the lychees around the plate, and finish with the sheet praline.

Converted by MC_Buster.

Per serving: 775 Calories (kcal); 46g Total Fat; (51% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 78g Carbohydrate; 730mg Cholesterol; 365mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 3½ Fruit; 8 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0n.