Vanilla Bean Custard With Spicy Cookies

SPICY COOKIES
1 c Self-rising flour
1/2 ts Baking soda
1 ts Ground mixed spice, such as
-pumpkin pie spice
2 tb Superfine sugar
3 oz Golden syrup
4 tb Butter, unsalted

An easy, pretty dessert to serve mid-week — perfect for when friends drop
by for dinner and you want to give them something fabulous to end the meal.

1. To make the cookies, sift the dry ingredients together. Gently warm the
syrup until hot and runny. Stir in the butter and, when melted, scrape into
a bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients to form a dough. Chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven 375degF. Roll out chilled dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds
with a cookie cutter and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cook in a
preheated oven (375degF) for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and
cool on a wire rack.

2. To make the custard, heat the cream and vanilla beans in a saucepan.
Remove the beans, split them, scrape the seeds into the cream, then return
the beans to the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and infuse for 10
minutes.

Remove the beans. Beat the egg yolks and whole egg together, add the sugar,
and beat until pale and creamy. Stir in the cornstarch and beat in the
vanilla infused cream.

Preheat oven 325degF. Spoon the mixture into 6 small ovenproof dishes or
glasses, cover with foil or wax paper and place in a roasting pan half
filled with water. Cook in preheated oven (325degF) for 45 to 60 minutes
until just set and firm to the touch. Serve with the spicy biscuits, the
segmented oranges, if using, and a glass of sweet dessert wine.