Vanilla pots with raspberries and raspberry sauce

View the full article on guardian.co.uk

Makes 8

For the sauce

Step 1
Simply put, it is a vanilla custard, gently baked in a bain-marie until just set, then put aside to cool.

Step 2
Preheat the oven to 130C/250F/gas mark ½.

Step 3
Prepare a deep roasting pan and a kettle full of hot water.

Step 4
You will also need 8 little pots, cups or ramekins.

Step 5
Pour the milk into a heavy-based saucepan.

Step 6
Split the vanilla pod and scrape the seeds into the pan.

Step 7
Gently bring the milk to a simmer, then remove from the heat.

Step 8
In a bowl, stir the sugar into the egg yolks.

Step 9
Pour the infused milk into the bowl and stir well.

Step 10
Let the custard sit for 15 minutes or so, then spoon away any foam that may have formed on the surface.

Step 11
Pour the custard into the pots.

Step 12
Put the pots in the roasting tray.

Step 13
Put the tray in the oven.

Step 14
With great care, pour the water from the kettle into a jug, then fill the roasting tray with enough water to reach halfway to two‑thirds of the way up the side of the pots.

Step 15
Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Step 16
There should not be a bubble upon the surface.

Step 17
Carefully remove the entire tray from the oven.

Step 18
Put it down on a wire rack and let the custard pots cool in the water.

Step 19
Once cooled, put the pots on a tray and transfer to the fridge.

Step 20
To make the raspberry sauce, put all the ingredients in a blender and render smooth.

Step 21
Put a sieve over a bowl and pour the sauce into it, pushing through with the back of a spoon to leave the myriad pips behind.

Step 22
To serve, heap the raspberries in a bowl.

Step 23
Have a small bowl of caster sugar alongside.

Step 24
Put each pot on a plate and pour on a spoonful of the raspberry sauce.