Garage Coffee Crème Brûlée with Peanut Butter Fudge

Garage Coffee supply our restaurants with coffee roasted in Canterbury. They roast in small batches for optimum quality, and always to order, this recipe uses their espresso blend called “Maypole”. I like the idea of food that people can relate to and this garage coffee crème brûlée is the perfect example. Served with a piece of peanut butter fudge, it’s the perfect after-dinner dessert that has sweet and bitter flavours alongside utterly delicious fudge. You’ll be unable to stick at one or two squares – you’ll have to eat more.

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Dish Difficulty: Medium

Serves: 6

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Ingredients

For the infusion:

1 vanilla pod, split

50ml milk

450ml double cream

50 coffee beans

5 short double espressos, strong

90g caster sugar

90g egg yolk

For the peanut butter fudge:

125g unsalted butter

500g dark brown sugar

120ml milk

1⁄2 tsp salt

250g crunchy peanut butter

1 vanilla pod, seeds only

300g icing sugar

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Preparation

For the crème brûlée:

1. Set the oven to 120°C.

2. Bring the infusion ingredients to the boil and infuse for half an hour, then add the sugar and egg yolks.

3. Mix well and pass.

4. Place in 6 coffee cups in a bain-marie and place in the oven for 30-40 minutes and then do a wobble check to make sure it’s just-set.

5. Chill in the fridge for one hour.

6. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and caramelise, ideally with a blow torch or under the grill.

For the peanut butter fudge:

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan, over a low heat, and stir in the sugar and the milk. Bring to the boil for 2-3 minutes without stirring.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, peanut butter and salt.

3. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Pour in the butter mixture and beat until smooth.

Pour into a shallow tray and allow to set. Cut into 2cm squares and keep in the fridge in an airtight container.