The Royal Touch

Ingredients Serves: 8-12

Dion-Wyn Jones, Executive Head Chef at Rookery Hall Hotel & Spa, has an enviable reputation as one of the region’s best chefs. His career highlights include a silver medal win at the Culinary Olympics in Germany and the chance to cook for The Royal Family.

Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 125g butter
• 1 egg
• 1 yolk
• 75g caster sugar
• Pinch of sea salt

Egg custard

• 360g egg yolks
• 200g sugar
• 900ml double cream
• Ground nutmeg

Honey and lavender cream

• 400ml whipping cream
• Honey 40ml
• Pinch of vanilla seeds or drop of vanilla essence

Garnish

• Dried fresh lavender
• Flowers to garnish

Method

Pastry

Rub the butter, flour and salt together to form crumbs.

Add the egg to form a pastry, but don’t overwork it.

Wrap and rest in the fridge for 2 hours.

Once rested, roll out as thinly as possible, line a non stick tart case(9.5 inch extra deep in size).

Blind bake with baking beans for 40 minutes at 160° C, then removethe beans and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Once baked, evenly brush the tart case with egg yolk and bake for afurther 2 minutes; this forms a waterproof coating to keep the tartas crisp as possible.

Egg Custard

Bring the cream to the boil.

Whisk the eggs and sugar together and slowly add the hot cream.

Add the mixture to the baked tart case and evenly dust with nutmeg.

Bake at 120° C for 50-55 minutes until it sets and has a good wobble.

Cool down at room temperature and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

Portion into 8 or 12 portions depending on the desired size.

Honey and lavender cream

Add whipping cream and honey to a bowl and whip until stiff.

Roll a hot spoon through the cream to form a rocher.

Garnish with lavender and flowers.

Add honeycomb for an added touch.