Crème brûlée with gingerbread

Preheat oven to 175°C. Line a 23cm x 30cm Swiss roll tin with baking paper, folding it at the corners to make a neat paper case (secure the corners with metal paper clips).

Sift flour, pinch of salt and spices together into a large bowl. Warm golden syrup, treacle and butter in a small saucepan until butter has melted.

Whisk egg, add water and baking soda and pour into the dry ingredients. Mix together, then pour in melted syrup mixture. Whisk lightly for 30 seconds.

Turn into the prepared Swiss roll tin. Bake sponge for about 15 minutes until browned and springy to the touch.

Whisk egg yolks and caster sugar together in a small bowl until thick and pale.

Put cream in saucepan and scrape in seeds from vanilla pod, then add the pod, too. Bring cream to a gentle boil, then pour 2-3 tablespoons of the cream onto egg yolks. Blend well, then tip yolks and sugar into the pan of cream.

Cook custard over a medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens and coats the spoon. Do not let custard boil or it will curdle. Remove vanilla pod (it can be washed, left to dry and reused).

Cut gingerbread into cubes and put several pieces in the base of 8 ramekins. Pour hot custard over the top. Put ramekins in a shallow container, cool, then refrigerate overnight.

Sprinkle caster sugar over top of custards and use a small culinary blowtorch to glaze them (or glaze under a preheated grill) until the sugar caramelises. This is best done quickly to avoid the custard heating and separating (putting the ramekins in a metal tray of ice will help keep them cold).

Immediately remove from heat and chill again for a few hours before serving.