fruit en papillote

WITH COCONUT CREAM

You can vary the fruit here but try to include berries as the juices make a delicious sauce. You can also ring the changes by swapping maple syrup for agave nectar, or add a tiny dash of orange blossom water to the cream.

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SERVES: 4

PREPARATION: 20 minutes

COOKING: 25 minutes

1 x 400 ml (14 fl oz) tin coconut milk

1 large peach, stoned and quartered

2 apricots, stoned and halved

1 large nectarine, stoned and quartered

1 handful blueberries

2 tablespoons soft light brown sugar

2 tablespoons sweet Marsala or sweet wine

1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways

2 cinnamon sticks, halved

2 star anise, halved

2 teaspoons unrefined coconut oil (solid is fine)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons agave nectar, or more to taste

4 tablespoons flaked almonds or coconut flakes, lightly toasted, to serve

Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Put the tin of coconut milk in the freezer.

Tear off 4 large rectangles of baking paper and spread out on a work surface. Put all the fruit in a bowl and toss with the sugar and Marsala. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod and stir into the fruit. Cut the vanilla pod in half crossways to make 4 pieces.

Divide the fruit and the sugary syrup in the bottom of the bowl between the pieces of paper. Put a piece of cinnamon stick, star anise, vanilla pod and ½ teaspoon of coconut oil on top of each pile of fruit. Bring the top and bottom edges of the paper together and tightly fold. Twist the ends together to make tight packets, leaving some air inside. Put the packets on a baking tray and roast for 25 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and oozing juices. Cooking time will vary according to the ripeness of the fruit, so pop the packets back in the oven if the fruit is not quite done.

Make the coconut cream by following the recipe beating in the vanilla extract and agave to sweeten. Chill until ready to serve.

To serve, put the packets on individual plates and allow guests to open them up themselves. The smell of the spices as the packets open is wonderful. Let guests help themselves to the coconut cream and almonds or coconut flakes to sprinkle on top.