Apple crumble and tofu custard sushi

Want to try something new? Well this apple crumble and tofu custard sushi is certainly a first for us! Yes, you read that currently. This fabulous fusion dish is balancing the eccentric combination of Britain’s favourite pudding with Japan’s equivalent of the sandwich to make a totally original dessert that will impress even the snobbiest foodies.

Ingredients (makes 18)

For the apple ‘leather’:

500g Bramley Cooking Apples

75g clear honey

1tsp lemon juice

1tsp water

1tsp Yutaka Yuzu

For the tofu custard:

175 ml double cream

100 ml Yutaka Tofu

3 egg yolks

1tsp cornflour

1tbsp caster sugar

½tsp vanilla essence

125g Yutaka Sushi Rice

175ml water

Bamboo Rolling Mat

1 eating apple

55g Yutaka Panko Breadcrumbs

20g butter, melted

1tsp caster sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 120ºC.

Wash Bramley apples, core and chop roughly. Place in pan with Yuzu, honey, lemon juice and water. Cook until apples are soft. Sieve apples and set aside to cool. Lightly grease baking tray with oil, then cover with baking parchment which has been lightly oiled by using a pastry brush.

Spread your cooked apple pulp thinly and evenly on the baking parchment. This takes some time and it helps to dip the knife in cold water. Once apple pulp is spread, place baking tray in oven for at least three hours – watch carefully and check after two hours. When cooked through, it will lift easily from the parchment and be a deep brown colour. Leave to cool on baking sheet.

Make the sushi rice as per the instructions on the pack. Remove from heat and leave for 30 minutes.

For the custard: first sieve the tofu, put in saucepan with cream and bring to boiling point. While this is heating, blend egg yolks, vanilla, cornflour and sugar in a small basin. Pour egg mixture over the hot cream, stirring constantly, and return mixture to stovetop. Heat very gently, stirring constantly, until sauce has thickened.

Mix half the custard with the sushi rice. Allow to cool.

Core and slice the eating apple and cook in a little water for a few minutes. Then drain.

Cut the apple leather in two pieces and place one sheet on rolling mat. Thinly spread some rice on the apple leather, taking care to avoid the edges. Place a line of apple slices lengthwise on top of the rice.

Begin rolling the sushi roll by putting fingertips of both hands on top of ingredients to hold them in place while keeping thumbs on the back of the bamboo rolling mat nearest you.

Push the mat forward until it surrounds the sushi roll completely and the top and bottom edges of the apple jelly meet. Continue to roll the sushi mat in a circle around the ingredients. Use the mat to shape your sushi into a long, round roll, but don’t press too hard.

For the crumble, melt the butter in a frying pan, add Panko breadcrumbs and fry gently until golden brown. Add sugar and stir.

With a sharp knife cut the sushi into 1½ cm rounds. Place on a platter and sprinkle with crumble mix. Serve with the remains of the custard.

Recipe courtesy of Yutaka