Saffron-poached tamarillos with vanilla bean custard

Babiche Martens

Ingredients

3 cups	Water
8	Tamarillos (Main)
1 cup	Sugar
2 pinches	Saffron threads
3	Star anise
2 cups	Milk
1	Vanilla bean, (split)
4	Egg yolks
½ cup	Caster sugar

Directions

1. Cut a cross on the pointed end of each tamarillo. Cover with boiling water and leave while preparing the poaching liquid.
2. Put the sugar, water, saffron and star anise into a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
3. When the skins can be peeled easily from the fruit, do so then drop them into the poaching liquid and let gently simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the liquid.
4. Bring the liquid to a boil and let reduce for 5 minutes before spooning over the fruit. Leftover liquid can be refrigerated and reused.
5. To make the custard, bring the milk to a simmer with the scraped vanilla bean seeds. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until foamy and pale, then whisk in the warm milk.
6. Rinse out the saucepan and return the custard mixture to it. Cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly for approximately 10 minutes until the mixture coats the back of the wooden spoon. Strain into a bowl or jug.