Method

• Begin by poaching the greengages
• To do this put the wine, sugar and star anise in a medium size pot
• Bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar, reduce the heat to simmer and place the greengages into this syrup
• Gently poach for 10 minutes or until tender
• The skins will flake off a little and if you like you can peel them off when cool
• Meanwhile to make the crumbs preheat the oven to 180C
• Spread the torn bread crumbs over the base of a roasting dish in a single layer then dot with the butter
• Bake the crumbs until they are deep golden in colour and crisp (20 minutes)
• Remove from the oven and spread over a large baking tray lined with baking paper
• Place the sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer
• Cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes (do not stir) or until you get a rich, caramel colour
• Carefully pour over the crumbs, using a fork toss the crumbs over in the toffee to coat well
• Sprinkle with a little ginger powder and cool
• When cool, separate, they can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week
• Whip the cream with vanilla and icing sugar until thickened
• To serve – place the poached greengages and a little syrup in a bowl, add a generous spoonful of cream and sprinkle with the toffee crumbs