- 570ml/1 pint full-fat milk
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed
- 6 medium free-range egg yolks
- 220g/8oz caster sugar
- 300g/10½oz crème fraîche
- 200g/7oz plums, cut into eighths
- 25g/1oz caster sugar
- 220g/8oz strong plain flour
- 1 x 7g dried fast action yeast
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 20g/¾oz caster sugar
- 2 medium free-range eggs
- 50ml/2fl oz whole milk
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, softened
- 250g/9oz caster sugar
- 2-4 tbsp hazelnut liqueur
- For the crème fraîche ice cream, place the milk and vanilla in a saucepan and warm.
- Put the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk until you reach the ‘ribbon stage’ (when the mixture leaves a trail on the surface of the eggs when the whisk is raised out of the bowl and moved across it.)
- Gradually add the milk to the bowl, whisking continuously. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and warm on a low heat, continually whisking until it thickens.
- Allow to cool completely and stir in the crème fraîche.
- Churn in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Place in the freezer to set.
- For the plums, set two cut plums aside and place the rest in a medium saucepan with 100ml/3½fl oz water and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until soft.
- Remove from the heat, place in a blender and blend until smooth. Put in a squeezy bottle and set aside.
- To make the babas, place the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a large free-standing mixer with a dough attachment and mix.
- Beat the eggs and milk together and gradually add to the dry ingredients. Beat in the butter.
- Knead for 10 minutes and then place in a warm place to rise for a couple of hours.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and preheat the grill.
- Knock the dough back and spoon into a piping bag with a plain nozzle.
- Sugar and flour four 11cm/4½in baba tins (savarin moulds) and pipe the mixture into the moulds. Bake for 25 minutes.
- To make the syrup, place the sugar and hazelnut liqueur in a saucepan and heat to a syrup consistency. Leave to cool.
- Remove the babas from the oven and place in the syrup to soak up.
- Place the reserved plums on a baking tray, sprinkle with sugar and put under the grill to cook for 5-10 minutes.
- To serve, arrange a line of plum purée on each of four bowls and place a baba in the centre. Pour more syrup over and place the ice cream in the centre. Put the warm plums around the edge of the plate.