Vanilla Tea, Tonka Bean and Cinnamon Poached Meringue, Toffee Brioche and Cumquat Sabayon

FIRST DISH COMPONENT

• Whip the egg whites to soft peaks, add lemon juice and corn flour and finally, slowly add castor sugar until a firm, silky meringue forms. Be careful not to over work the whites as they will become grainy and tough.

• Boil the water, add the tea bags, castor sugar, grated tonka beans and cinnamon stick.
• Leave to stand for 30 minutes to infuse the flavours.
• Remove the tea bags and strain. Pour the liquid into a deep frying pan, heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Using either 2 table spoons or serving spoons, make quenelles with the meringue, two per serving, and poach in the tea liquid. Turn the meringues every 10 seconds until they have firmed.

SECOND DISH COMPONENT

• Combine yeast and tepid water. Sift flour into a basin, add yeast and water, mix to a dough, cover and leave in a warm area until doubled in size.

• Sift flour into a large bowl, make a well in the center, pour in lightly beaten eggs, sugar and salt, mix.
• Add softened butter and knead well.
• At this stage combine both doughs and mix till smooth and silken, cover and leave aside until doubled in size, this will take approximately 3 hours. ‘Knock back’ the dough and form into 2 equal sized balls, place into a lightly oiled bread tin (6 inches by 4 inches and at least 4 inches deep).
• Let it stand for a further 10 minutes and bake in a moderate oven (170-180°C).
• Remove from oven and turn out onto a cooling rack. When cool, slice the brioche as you would for thick toast and cut into rounds using a cookie cutter or cup. There will be extra brioche left, so try freezing or it is perfect for bread and butter pudding.

• Pre-heat a frying pan till it is hot, add sugar carefully and slowly, move the frying pan back and forth for 30 seconds.
• Now using a wooden spoon move the sugar around the pan until it has dissolved and caramelized.
• Remove from the heat, add 1 disc of brioche at a time and carefully coat with the toffee (for best results use day old brioche). When all brioche are coated place on a cold, lightly greased surface until they are crisp.

THIRD DISH COMPONENT

• Combine water, castor sugar and brandy, bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add halved cumquats and gently simmer until they become translucent

• Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a stainless steel bowl and whisk over a boiling pot of water until the eggs become lighter in colour, thickened with volume and the whisk leaves trails or ‘ribbons’ through the mixture.
• Remove from the heat and cool (try sitting the mixture in a bowl of iced water).
• When cool, add cumquat syrup and fold through whipped cream, refrigerate.