Spiced citrus crème caramel with honeyed grapes

Preheat the oven to 150˚C and thoroughly grease a 23cm-diameter shallow round cake tin. Heat the demerara sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, without stirring at all, and simmer until thick and syrupy, 10 minutes. Pour the caramel into the bottom of the cake tin and set aside to cool.

In a saucepan, combine the milk and fresh cream with the spices, and bring to a boil. Add the castor sugar and remove from heat, then strain through a fine mesh sieve.

Whisk the 3 eggs and 4 yolks together, slowly whisk in the hot milk-cream mixture, and add the salt and naartjie/orange zest. Pour into the caramel-filled cake tin, then place the tin in a roasting tray lined with a clean tea towel. Fill the tray halfway up the sides of the cake tin with hot water. Bake in the oven, 20 – 25 minutes, until the caramel is slightly wobbly in the middle, but just set. Remove from the roasting tray and refrigerate, at least 2 hours (but you could make this up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate, covered with cling film).

For the honeyed grapes, place the butter, honey, vanilla essence and salt in a frying pan, and heat over medium heat, 1 minute, then add the grapes and allow to cook over medium heat, about 5 – 10 minutes, tossing the grapes around occasionally to coat in the caramelly liquid.

Turn out the crème caramel by running a knife around the rim of the tin and place a round serving platter with a lip (to catch the runny caramel too) on top. Flip the platter over to release the caramel. Serve topped with the slightly warmed honeyed grapes.