Main Ingredients
100g Plain flour
1/2 tsp. Ground ginger
25g Golden caster sugar
2 tbsp. Semolina
65g Unsalted butter, cubed
50g Crystallised stem ginger, finely chopped
The Figs
4 Large ripe figs
1 tsp. Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp. Blossom honey
The Salted Caramel
130g Granulated sugar
6 tbsp. Water
6 tbsp. Double Cream
20g Unsalted Butter
1/4 tsp. Vanilla paste
1/4 tsp. Fine sea salt
Final Touches
Some ice cream - we suggest around 8 Scoops of Jude's Vanilla Clotted Cream.
The Method
Step One
Preheat the oven to 180 (160 fan), Gas 4. Make the shortbread. In to a large mixing bowl sieve the flour, ground ginger and sugar. Add the cubed butter and rub together with your fingertips until you have an even looking crumb. Mix through half the stem ginger and bring the mixture together firmly with your hands. Line a baking sheet with non-stick parchment and dust it lightly with the semolina. Place the shortbread dough directly on to the baking sheet and flatten in it out with your hands in to a round about 1cm in thickness – don’t worry about the round being too neat. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until a light golden brown. Leave to cool completely on the baking tray before breaking in to shards.
Step Two
Use a sharp knife to cut a deep cross atop each fig. Place in a roasting tray and dot each one with a little butter. Drizzle with the honey and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until sticky and soft.
Step Three
For the caramel sauce place the sugar and water in a saucepan and allow to dissolve over a medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved raise the heat and simmer gently. Do not stir the caramel at any stage, instead swirl the pan lightly. Once the caramel is a golden remove from the heat and swirl in the butter. Quickly beat in the cream and add the vanilla and the sea salt flakes.
Step Four
Take 4 large glasses and begin to layer your Sundae. Start with a drizzle of salted caramel followed by a handful of broken shortbread and a scoop of ice cream. Sprinkle over a little of the remaining crystallised ginger and repeat the process. Top with a baked fig, crumbled shortbread as well as a drizzle more of the salted caramel and any sticky fig juices left in the pan. Repeat the process with the remaining 4 glasses.
Step Five
Eat immediately - preferably in some French Connection homeware. Because food as good as this deserves equally as lovely eating vessels.
