- 6 free-range egg yolks
- 100g/3½oz caster sugar
- 300ml/10fl oz full-fat milk
- 300ml/10fl oz double cream
- 125g/4½oz white chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4 pears, peeled, halved, cored
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
- 4 tbsp icing sugar
- 50g/1¾oz soft dark brown sugar
- 40g/1½oz golden syrup
- 50g/1¾oz butter
- 40g/1½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 100g/3½oz white currants
- For the ice cream, put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk together until combined. Put the milk and cream in a pan and bring to the boil. Pour over the egg yolks and whisk well. Pour back into the pan and return to the heat. Warm until it thickens.
- Put the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the custard mixture through a sieve onto the white chocolate and stir well until the chocolate has melted. Allow the mixture to cool, then pour into an ice cream machine to churn. Place in a freezer-proof container and freeze until solid.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and line a baking tray.
- Put the pears, lemon zest and juice, sugar, vanilla pod and seeds into a pan. Add enough water to just cover the pears. Bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer until the pear is tender (5 -15 minutes). Remove the pears and drain on kitchen paper until cool. Slice into strips and dust with icing sugar.
- For the brandy snap basket, melt the sugar, golden syrup and butter in a saucepan, remove the pan from the heat. Add the flour and ground ginger and mix to form a thick paste. Pour onto a work surface lined with cling film. Roll the mixture into a ball, then cover in the cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, or until set.
- Remove from the fridge and roll out walnut-sized balls of dough, you should get at least four. Dust a work surface with flour. Roll each ball of dough into a disc about 2mm thick. Place on the baking tray. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown. Set aside to cool for about 1 minute.
- Carefully lift each brandy snap off the tray and rest over an upturned glass. Press the overhanging edges down gently against the sides. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then lift off the glass and set aside to cool completely.
- Place the brandy snap basket in the centre of a plate and put a spoonful of ice cream in the basket. Place the pears around the basket along with the mint and white currants.