Serves 6

For the olive oil shortbread:

125g plain flour
37g extra virgin olive oil
112g unsalted butter
100g unrefined caster sugar, plus extra for the final shortbread
50g finely ground almonds
3g salt
1g baking powder
22g egg yolks
Zest of 2 lemons, finely grated
Seeds from one vanilla pod

Mix the flour in a bowl with the olive oil. Place the butter and sugar in a mixer which has a paddle attachment and cream together. Add the flour and oil mixture to the butter mixture along with the almonds, salt, baking powder, vanilla seeds and lemon zest and continue to mix to form a dough. On a low speed, add the egg yolks until just mixed-in (do not over mix). Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for 12 hours.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Place the dough between sheets of parchment and roll out to 6mm thick. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 18–20 minutes, remove, sprinkle with unrefined caster sugar and immediately cut into rectangles 6cm x 2cm in size. Set aside to cool and harden. Store in a dry, airtight container until needed.

For the quaking pudding:

Butter for lining moulds
150g whole milk
600g whipping cream
100g unrefined caster sugar
115g egg yolks
85g whole eggs
22g picked lemon verbena leaves

To serve:

Lemon marmalade, with added acidity from freshly squeezed lemon juice
Olive oil shortbread

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Butter six 3/4 pint pudding basins and place in fridge to set. Using a pestle and mortar, smash the lemon verbena leaves to release the oils inside. Pour the milk and cream into a sauce pot containing the lemon verbena leaves. Bring the mixture just to the boil and remove from the heat. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, egg yolks and whole eggs.

Pour the hot milk and cream over the sugar mixture, a little at a time, whisking continuously to temper together. Divide the mixture between the buttered basins and cover with a lid. Place the basins into a flat pan and fill with water to come almost all of the way up the sides of the basins. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 45 minutes or until the temperature inside the oven reaches 84°C. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving – take care not to let the pudding cool down too much or you will lose the quake.

Serve with olive oil shortbread and a spoonful of lemon marmalade.

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