Colossal rhubarb crème brûlée

Put the cream, vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring the cream to just below boiling point, then take off the heat and leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the eggs in a bowl, add 35g caster sugar, then use a balloon whisk to beat until fully combined.

Put the infused cream back on the heat and bring back to boiling point. Slowly pour it over the egg mixture, whisking as you go. Pour the mixture back into the pan and set over a low heat. Stirring continually with a spatula, cook for 7-8 minutes until it reaches 88°C on a sugar thermometer and holds its shape. Don’t worry if the custard looks a little lumpy at this stage. Take off the heat and pour through a sieve into a clean bowl, then cover the surface with damp baking parchment to stop a skin from forming.

Put the rhubarb in a pan with the remaining 85g caster sugar, the orange zest and juice. Set over a medium heat and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated and you are left with a thick compote. Pour into a 1-litre ovenproof dish and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Once the custard has cooled to room temperature, use a hand blender to whizz until very smooth. Pour over the cooled rhubarb, loosely cover and chill for 2-4 hours, or until set.

When ready to serve, sprinkle generously with demerara sugar and caramelise using a kitchen blowtorch or under a hot grill. Take the sugar as dark as you dare – it’s the sweet bitterness from the caramel that is key to this dish.