Servings: 8

Brown Bread Ice Cream: subheading: Brown Bread Ice Cream:
100g brown bread 100g brown bread
100g demerara sugar 100g demerara sugar
500ml freshly squeezed Pink Lady apple juice 500ml freshly squeezed Pink Lady apple juice
Salt flakes, to season Salt flakes, to season
5 egg whites 5 egg whites
125g caster sugar 125g caster sugar
250ml thickened cream 250ml thickened cream
5 egg yolks 5 egg yolks
Apple Tarte Tatin: subheading: Apple Tarte Tatin:
5 medium Pink Lady apples 5 medium Pink Lady apples
200g raw sugar 200g raw sugar
150g unsalted butter 150g unsalted butter
2 star anise, whole 2 star anise, whole
1½ tsp cracked black pepper 1½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped
30-40ml fresh apple juice 30 to 40ml fresh apple juice
1 sheet puff pastry 1 sheet puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 220°C fan forced.
For the Brown Bread Ice Cream, remove crust from the bread and discard. Tear the bread into chunks.
Combine the bread and demerara sugar in a food processor and process to a fine crumb.
Transfer crumb to a silpat lined tray and spread evenly across. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid the edges burning. When crumb is golden brown, transfer silpat mat to the bench and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, for the Tarte Tatin, top and tail each apple to approximately 4cm. Peel apples. Use a melon baller to core. Cut each apple in half down through the core.
Combine the sugar, butter, star anise, pepper, vanilla seeds and pod in a large frypan over medium heat. Melt the butter, dissolve the sugar then bring all to a simmer and cook until the sugar starts to caramelise and butter foams.
Add apple to the pan, standing upright and cook on one side for 5 to 10 minutes or until dark caramel in colour, shaking the pan on occasion to move apples and mix caramel. Remove pan from the heat, transfer apples to a small tray and set aside.
Return pan to high heat. Add apple juice and bring to the boil, stirring until emulsified.
Pass the caramel through a fine sieve into a measuring jug and set aside. Discard vanilla pod and star anise.
Pour a 2mm thick layer of caramel into the bottom of a 16cm copper saucepan. Assemble the apple cooked side down, around the base of the pan, leaving a 5mm gap between the apples and the edge of the pan. Use a ring cutter to cut a small disk from any remaining apple to fit in the centre gap.
Cut a 20cm round of puff pastry, discarding trimmings. Place puff pastry over the apples and tuck edges down between the apples and the edge of the pan. Use a small sharp knife to make two small holes in the centre of the pastry.
Bake for 45 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden. Set the pan aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the Brown Bread Ice Cream, place apple juice into a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Season with a little salt. Continue to boil over high heat until reduced until thickened. Remove saucepan from the heat and set aside.
Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip on high speed until frothy. Whilst whisking, gradually sprinkle the sugar into egg whites, whipping for 6 minutes or until stiff shiny peaks form and all sugar has dissolved.
Combine the cream and a generous pinch of salt in another bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whip to soft peaks.
Add yolks to the whipped cream and fold through.
Add yolk/cream mixture to the whites and briefly fold through.
Add the cold breadcrumbs and briefly fold through until all ingredients are well combined.
Transfer the ice cream mixture to a small deep baking tray.
Taste both the ice cream base and the caramel. Season the caramel with salt if needed to balance sweetness.
Drizzle caramel over the ice cream base and gently fold it through to give a marbled effect. Place in the freezer until set.
Place serving plate over the slightly cool pan of Tarte Tatin and invert to flip out of the pan and upside down onto the plate, exposing the apples. Top Tarte Tatin with a quenelle of Brown Bread Ice Cream.

Tip – Make the ice cream in advance and cook the tarte tatin just before serving  Tip - Make the ice cream in advance and cook the tarte tatin just before serving