Instructions: Make the custard first. Beat the egg yolks, sugar and flour together. Bring the milk to the boil with the lemon peel, lower the heat and slowly add the egg, sugar, flour mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for 10 minutes and keep on stirring. Be careful that the bottom does not catch. Remove from the heat and leave to get cold.

Wash and dry the zucchini flowers. Remove the pistules. Fill each flower with 1 tbsp of the thick custard. Gently squeeze the petals together just above the mixture. Dust the flowers first in flour, then dip them in the beaten egg, finishing with the breadcrumbs. A light hand must be used for this excercise.

Deep-fry the flowers, in a light olive oil until golden. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Sprinkle the flowers with rum and Alchermes, shake caster sugar over them and serve at once.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.