- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- 50g/2oz plain flour
- 50g/2oz cornflour
- pinch salt
- 75-110ml/3-4fl oz ginger ale
- 4 figs, halved lengthways
- 75-110ml/3-4fl oz sparkling water
- 12 strawberries
- 125ml/4½fl oz milk
- 3 sprigs fresh lemon verbena
- 5 free-range egg yolks
- 75g/3oz caster sugar
- 375ml/13fl oz double cream
- 25g/1oz demerara sugar
- 250g/9oz strawberries, hulled and chopped
- 1-2 tbsp icing sugar
- For the tempura, place the vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat until a small cube of bread sizzles and turns golden when dropped into it. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
- Place half of the flour, cornflour and salt into a bowl and gradually stir in enough ginger ale to make a batter. Don't over-mix – it doesn't matter if a few lumps remain.
- Dip the figs into the batter to coat completely. Place into the hot oil and deep fry until golden-brown and crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- Place the remaining flour, cornflour and salt into another bowl and gradually stir in enough sparkling water to form a batter.
- Dip the strawberries into the batter to coat completely. Place into the hot oil and deep fry until golden-brown and crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
- Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
- For the crème brûlée, place the milk into a saucepan, add the lemon verbena and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool and infuse for a few minutes.
- Place the egg yolks into a large bowl with the sugar and whisk until combined.
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl along with the cream and whisk thoroughly.
- Place four ramekins into a roasting tin and pass the cream mixture through a sieve into the ramekins. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for an hour, or until just set. Remove the ramekins from the tin and allow to cool.
- Once cooled, place the ramekins into the freezer until the custards are solid.
- Use a knife to loosen around the edges of the ramekins and carefully tip the custards out of their ramekins onto a board. Using a pastry cutter, cut out a circle from each custard to make cylinders slightly smaller in diameter than the ramekins. Place onto serving plates and leave to soften for five minutes.
- For the strawberry sauce, place the strawberries and icing sugar into a small food processor and blend until smooth. Pass the mixture through a sieve into a bowl to remove the seeds. Taste to check the sweetness and add more sugar if necessary.
- To serve, sprinkle the demerara sugar over the top of the crème brûlées and caramelise with a mini-blowtorch. Place two fig halves and three strawberries onto each plate and drizzle over the strawberry sauce.