Baked Goat's Cheese with Lavender, Honey, Thyme & Brown Butter Breadcrumbs

Method for baked goat's cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Blitz the bread in a food processor to make chunky, rustic crumbs.
2. Put the unsalted butter in a small saucepan with half a clove of garlic, and melt over a low-medium flame. Once the butter starts foaming, use a spoon to skim off the frothy milk solids which are floating on the top. Leave the butter to turn deep golden brown before taking the pan off the heat. Fish out the garlic and discard. Tip the breadcrumbs into the brown butter and toss thoroughly to coat.
3. Pick the leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme and stir three-quarters into the breadcrumbs. Tip on to a baking tray and spread them out to make a single layer. Sprinkle over a pinch of sea salt flakes and bake for 10 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking. Once toasted, remove from the oven and leave to cool, then increase the oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan).
4. Slice 1 round soft, ripe goats’ cheese with rind in half, horizontally, and place each half, cut side up, in a small heatproof dish. Finely slice the remaining half a clove of garlic and press the slivers into the goats’ cheese until fully submerged.
5. Drizzle the tops of the goats’ cheese with 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil, then 2 tsp runny honey, before sprinkling over 1 tsp lavender and a grind of black pepper. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is molten, with a slightly burnished top.
6. Divide between two dishes and scatter over the fragrant breadcrumbs to serve. This dish is also delicious served with fresh, ripe figs.