Bramley Apple Crumble with Tarragon and Lavender Custard

Ingredients 

Filling

• 1.5kg Bramley apples
• 200g granulated sugar
• 50g unsalted butter
• ½ vanilla pod (split)
• 9 sprigs of tarragon (roughly chopped/torn)

Apple crumble mixture

• 400g plain flour
• 50g polenta
• 200g unsalted butter (cubed and softened)
• 140g granulated sugar
• 40g toasted almonds
• 40g sultanas

Lavender custard

• 4 sprigs dried lavender
• 250ml whole milk
• 4 free range egg yolks
• 120g caster sugar
• 250ml double cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Peel, core and dice the Bramley appes into ¾ inch chunky dice and combine in a pan with the butter, sugar and split vanilla pod. Cook gently on a medium heat for 20 minutes or until the apple has softened slightly. Transfer to a baking dish, taking out the vanilla pod, and stir in the roughly chopped/torn tarragon.
3. To make the apple crumble topping, combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and bring together using your hands until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Evenly place the crumble mix on top of the Bramley apple mix. Place the crumble on the middle shelf in the oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until golden brown.
4. To make the custard, put the milk in a small pan with the dried lavender and bring to the boil before turning heat off. Let the milk cool down so that the lavender infuses into the milk.
5. Beat the egg yolks together with the sugar until pale and thick. Whisk in the lavender-infused milk and then pour through a strainer into another pan. Place over a gentle heat and continue to whisk the mixture until it starts to thicken. Once thickened, immediately add the double cream and warm through when needed.