Crave: Brilliantly Indulgent Recipes

2 Pour the cream into a large heavy-based saucepan and add the sugar. Heat over a low heat, stirring, until the grains of sugar have dissolved, then turn up the heat and boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. The boiling cream will double or triple in size, so make sure you’ve chosen a large enough saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped white chocolate.

3 Keep stirring until no lumps of chocolate remain, then pour in the lemon juice and the zest and juice of the grapefruit, and mix thoroughly. The mixture will thicken as the acid is added to the milk.

4 Pour the posset mixture into the chilled glasses and place the glasses in the freezer for 45 minutes to set, then enjoy immediately or transfer to the fridge until you’re ready to serve. If you’re making these ahead of time you can keep them in the fridge without using the freezer, where they will take around 3 hours to set. Dust the top of the set possets with icing sugar then decorate with white chocolate curls and grapefruit zest.

5 While the possets are chilling, make the shortbread. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. Place the flour, caster sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture begins to clump together, then add the grapefruit zest. You could do this in a large bowl and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour. Tip out on to a large sheet of cling film, then roll into a log and freeze for at least 15 minutes.

6 Unwrap the dough and slice into 10–12 rounds using a sharp knife. Arrange on the lined baking tray and bake for 10–12 minutes, until a pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and then leave to cool completely. Serve the shortbread with the chilled, set possets.

Lemonade marshmallows (#ulink_ad71fef5-e80b-5966-a1c0-492cf606eb65)

There is nothing better than relaxing with a refreshing glass of homemade cloudy lemonade on a warm summer’s day, and these little marshmallow bites recreate that holiday feeling. You can adapt this recipe to suit your taste by using any kind of drink as the base for the marshmallow. Pink lemonade or cream soda work especially well or try champagne for a special occasion. They make great gifts.

MAKES 25 LARGE SQUARES

PREP TIME: 30 MINS PLUS SETTING TIME

Oil, for greasing

125ml cloudy lemonade

Grated zest and juice of

/

unwaxed lemon

2 × 12g sachets gelatine powder

450g caster sugar

150g golden syrup

100g icing sugar

2 tbsp cornflour

You will also need a sugar thermometer

1 Line a baking tray with oiled cling film and set to one side.

2 Pour the lemonade and lemon juice into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and sprinkle over the gelatine powder. Set aside to allow the gelatine to absorb all the liquid.

3 While the gelatine is soaking, put the caster sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan with enough water to cover (around 150ml). Cook over a low heat, stirring all the time, until the sugar has dissolved. As soon as there are no visible grains of sugar, stop stirring, turn up the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan and once it reads 1300C take the pan off the heat and allow to cool for 1 minute until the mixture is no longer bubbling.

4 Start whisking the gelatine and lemonade mixture with an electric hand-held whisk or in a stand mixer on a medium speed. Add the syrup mixture, slowly pouring it down the side of the bowl, whisking all the time. Try to avoid pouring it directly on to the whisk or you will get grainy lumps of sugar in the marshmallow. After a few minutes, the mixture should become pale and grow in volume like a very stiff meringue.

5 Once all the syrup has been added, continue to whisk for 5–10 minutes, until the marshmallow mixture becomes really thick. The mixture is ready when the outside of the bowl feels just slightly warm and the marshmallow is starting to get really sticky.

6 Use an oiled spatula to spread the mixture into the lined baking tray, then leave it to set for 2–3 hours at room temperature or until the marshmallow feels firm. Sift the icing sugar and cornflour together into a bowl and stir through the lemon zest. Turn the marshmallow out of the tin, peel off the cling film, then dust the whole marshmallow slab with the powder. Cut into small cubes using a sharp, oiled knife. The marshmallows will keep for 1–2 weeks in an airtight container.

Lemon meringue profiteroles (#ulink_3412a382-b077-517c-bd93-c0cfdeea6877)

This is my take on a lemon meringue pie – choux-style! Deliciously light pastry stuffed with zingy lemon cream, entirely enrobed in Italian meringue. Whenever my family hosts a spontaneous dinner party or family lunch, profiteroles are one of my go-to recipes. You can replace the lemon curd with any kind of curd – lime, orange or passionfruit all work really well.

MAKES ABOUT 30 PROFITEROLES

PREP TIME: 45–50 MINS PLUS COOLING

COOKING TIME: 20–25 MINS

PASTRY

75g butter, diced

1 tsp caster sugar

50g plain flour

50g strong bread flour

3 eggs

LEMON CREAM FILLING

250ml double cream

100g lemon curd, plus 2 tbsp for drizzling

Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

ITALIAN MERINGUE TOPPING

150g caster sugar

2 egg whites

You will also need three disposable piping bags, a sugar thermometer and a blowtorch.

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment.

2 To make the pastry, place the butter, sugar and 125ml of water in a small saucepan over a medium–high heat. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, and when all the butter has melted add the flours and vigorously beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until a smooth ball of dough forms.

3 Keep the pan on the heat and continue to cook the dough, stirring rapidly, for a further minute. Tip the dough into a bowl and leave it to cool until it has stopped steaming, to avoid scrambling the eggs.

4 Beat the eggs together briefly in a small jug. Add the eggs to the cooled dough in three separate additions, beating well between each one with a wooden spoon or spatula, mixing until it turns into a thick paste. You might not need to add all the egg so when you are adding the final amount, add it slowly. Your mixture should fall off the spoon or spatula easily and leave a ‘V’ shape. Spoon the choux pastry into one of the piping bags.

5 Snip the end off the piping bag and pipe the dough into about thirty 2.5cm balls on the baking sheets, leaving enough space for them to spread out. Use a wet finger to smooth over any peaks. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until risen, golden brown and hollow, then turn off the oven and leave them in the oven (with the door closed) to cool completely. This will dry out the pastry.