Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan and grease a large pie dish or baking
• Put the milk, cream, vanilla pod ( split lengthways or use a drop or two of vanilla extract instead) and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil
• Put the whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a mixer or in a mixing bowl using an electric whisk and whisk until pale and fluffy
• Slowly pour the boiled cream into the egg mixture, whisking vigorously until evenly incorporated
• Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and discard the vanilla bean, cinnamon stick and any bits of egg shell that may have accidentally crept in
• Brush the melted butter over the croissants and arrange them in the prepared pie dish or baking pan
• Scatter the apples over the croissants in the pan, then pour the custard in over the top
• Using a spatula, press down the croissants so that they start to soak up some of the lovely custard mixture
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes
• It should still be a little runny in the middle
• Serve with vanilla ice cream, or just some whipped cream flavoured with a little lemon and vanilla extract