Chef Amir Batito shared with me the secret to restaurant quality crème pâtissière (aka confectioner’s custard) in minutes. It could not be simpler, and if you spoon it into a ready-made M&S

all-butter sweet pastry case you will have the basis of a showstopper dessert. You maybe have surplus custard — but it will be delicious with chopped bananas or over a crumble.

Scatter with caramelised apple and summer berries for Rosh Hashanah, but it will look equally fabulous topped simply with an abundance of any seasonal fruits.


Method

• To make the crème pâtissière: measure out all the ingredients before you start. Warm the 300ml milk with the sugar, salt and vanilla in a medium-sized pan until it starts to boil.

• Mix the yolks, cornflour and 35ml milk in a small bowl.

• When the saucepan of milk is hot, tip a little into the cornflour mixture and stir. Then tip the entire contents of the bowl into the pan and whisk it fast until it starts to thicken and the lumps have been removed. Once it has thickened, do not whisk it too much or it will become liquid again.

• Pour into a bowl, cover, leave to cool, then refrigerate.

• When ready to serve, sieve out any lumps, beat the double cream until firm but not too solid, then fold the cream into the custard mixture.

• You can use it now or refrigerate it until needed.

• For the apple topping: put the diced apples, sugar and honey in a large frying pan or sauté pan over a medium heat. Stir frequently until the sugar and honey have melted, then stir frequently until the apples have caramelised and are light golden. Leave to cool.

• To assemble: spoon enough of the cold crème pâtissière into the tart case to fill it – you may have some over. Arrange the cooled apples and berries on top and garnish with mint sprigs.

• Serve immediately.
  
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