I've created a monster....

No I'm not quoting Eminem but alluding to the classic novel "Frankenstein" as I just went and watched the National Live Theatre stage play and it was an "out of this world experience" and got me thinking.......about my monster creation- my husband. I've turned his savoury taste buds to delectable sweetness, and there is no going back! My kitchen's cogs cannot seem to produce enough sweet treats to satisfy these late night cravings. Cakes, ice -creams, tarts, puddings, cheesecakes, slices cannot come out fast enough before being consumed of the fox's produce line.


As a result we spent the majority of yesterday in search for figs to make Debra's cake from MasterChef, "Sticky Fig and  Caramel Cake with Vanilla Custard. We went everywhere to find the seasonal product that is out of course out of season. Of course once the thought of eating this cake had blossomed within our minds nothing would do, so the search continued to Ferry Rd Markets, which have everything.....and of course the elusive fig. 


My husband was literally jumping up and down screaming "We found figs....We found figs." Might as well have been "It's alive...It's alive." It was a Kodak moment.


So was it worth it? I'm going to let you be the judge!

Cake

• 150g butter, softened
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (bean reserved for custard)
• 2 eggs
• 150g self-raising flour
• 1/3 cup full cream milk

Caramel sauce

• ¼ cupcaster sugar
• 50g butter
• 1/3 cup pure cream
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped



Pouring on the home made custard! Definitely making this again.

• 4 large fresh figs

Vanilla custard

• 1 cupfull cream milk, plus 1 tablespoon extra
• ¼ cup pure cream
• 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, plus reserved bean
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon plain flour
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 300ml pure cream, whipped to soft peaks, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm round spring form cake tin with foil then with baking paper.

2. For cake, beat butter, sugar and vanilla seeds together until pale, add eggs one at a time until combined. Add flour alternately with milk.

3. For caramel sauce, place all ingredients except figs into a medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar has melted. Bring to the boil and cook until mixture turns golden brown. Remove vanilla bean.

4. Pour caramel into prepared tin. Cut figs in half and arrange in the pan cut-side down with tops pointing towards the centre. Cover gently with cake batter, spreading until even. Place cake on a baking tray and bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked through.

5. For custard, pour milk and cream into a medium saucepan with vanilla and heat until scalding but not quite boiling. Meanwhile whisk egg with sugar until pale, slowly add warm mixture, whisking continuously. Mix flour with one tablespoon milk to a runny paste, add to mixture and stir to combine. Pour mixture into a clean saucepan, place over low heat and stir until mixture starts to thicken, 5-10 minutes. Once custard coats the back of a spoon, stir in honey. Cover custard closely with cling film.

6. Serve cake warm with vanilla custard and whipped cream.