Place the prunes in a small pan with the
cold water. bring to a simmer and cook for 5
minutes, gently stirring twice. add the sherry
and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the cooking
liquid thickens, then leave to cool. Chill,
covered, in the fridge.
Meanwhile to make the delice, whisk the egg
yolks with half the sugar until pale in colour.
Place the remaining sugar in a pan with the
milk and cream and bring to a simmer.
Pour the hot cream over the egg yolks,
whisking continuously, then return to the
pan and cook over a moderate heat, stirring
constantly until the custard thickens and
coats the back of the spoon.
Place the chocolate and sherry into a metal
bowl, pour the hot custard mixture over and
gently mix it together until the chocolate melts.
Pour through a sieve into a clean bowl. Press
some baking parchment on to the surface of
the delice and leave to cool. Chill in the fridge
for at least 8 hours to set.
To make the vanilla cream whisk the double
cream and sugar until it forms soft peaks.
Chill in the fridge.
To assemble, use 6 small glass bowls or
martini glasses and place a raspberry or a
few raspberries in the bottom of each. divide
the vanilla cream amongst them. top each
with a spoonful of cooked prunes and then a
quenelle of the delice. drizzle each dessert
with a few teaspoons of the prune liquid.
Tip to quenelle the delice, half fill a heatproof jug
with very hot water. sit a dessertspoon in it to
warm up – ideally a spoon with a half egg-shaped
hollow. run the hot and still slightly damp spoon
across the top of the delice, slightly digging it in
as you drag it along. the delice should roll up into
the spoon and give you an egg-shaped quenelle.
