Nothing in this could be considered subtle apart from the star anise. I add two of these to slightly enhance the flavor.

The real danger in this recipe is toward the end of thickening when the threshold of burning is so close. I have burnt it a couple of times when paying insufficient attention. Once it starts to burn, there is no recovery. It becomes tainted with the charred sugar.

Using cornstarch is an alternative that is a lot safer but alters the texture. Arrowroot is a thickener that is much more consistent with the texture that remains when thickening is done the traditional way with slow heat and time.

Love

Rocco xx