Sweet nightingale persimmons with navel orange bavarois à la Mary Ellen

1.For navel orange bavarois à la Mary Ellen, warm milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves (1-2 minutes). Lightly whisk yolks in a heatproof bowl, then slowly whisk milk into yolks, return to saucepan and stir continuously over low-medium heat until mixture thickly coats the back of spoon (8-10 minutes). Transfer to an electric mixer, squeeze moisture out of gelatine, add to milk mixture, stir to dissolve, then beat mixture until cold (20-25 minutes). Add orange juice and reserved pulp, fold in cream and pour mixture into a 1 litre-capacity bowl and refrigerate until set (3-4 hours).

2.Cut persimmons in half. Place vodka in a shallow bowl and caster sugar on a plate. Dip persimmons cut-side down into vodka and press into sugar. Caramelise tops with a blowtorch until sugar browns and just starts to smoke (20-30 seconds). Dust with another layer of sugar and repeat (you don’t want to cook the persimmon – just caramelise the sugar). Serve with a quenelle of bavarois.