Passion Fruit and Star Anise Possets with Madeleines
Made in glasses or jars, for a portable pud, these zingy yet creamy possets are simple to make and ideal for prepping ahead. With a tangy tropical flavour, they eat well on their own, but the madeleines, made with nutty brown butter, take them to the next
Hands-on time 30min, plus chilling. Cooking time about 30min. Serves 8 (makes 18-20 madeleines)
◆ 600ml (1 pint) double cream
◆ 175g (6oz) golden caster sugar
◆ 2 star anise
◆ 12 ripe passion fruits (see GH TIP)
◆ Juice 1 lime (about 3tbsp)
◆ Finely grated zest ½ large (or 1 small) orange, plus 4tbsp juice for the madeleines
◆ 75g (3oz) unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
◆ 2 star anise
◆ 75g (3oz) golden caster sugar
◆ 2 medium eggs
◆ 75g (3oz) plain flour, plus extra to dust
◆ ½tsp baking powder
◆ 100g (3½oz) white chocolate
◆ 25g (1oz) pistachio kernals, crushed
1 To make the possets: put cream, sugar and star anise into a large, heavy-based saucepan. Heat very gently until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Once dissolved (check there are no grains), bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 1min, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn’t catch, and then remove from the heat.
2 Meanwhile, halve 10 of the passion fruits, scoop the contents into a food processor and whizz to separate the pulp from the seeds; push through a sieve over a measuring jug. You should have about 175ml (6fl oz) juice – add the citrus juices to this. Add this to the cream mixture along with most of the orange zest (reserving a little for the madeleines) – the mixture will thicken. Leave to cool for a few min before straining through a sieve into a jug. Pour into 8 ramekins or small glasses – about 100ml (3½fl oz) per serving. Leave to cool completely, then cover with clingfilm and transfer to the fridge for at least 2-3hr until set, or up to 2 days ahead.
3 To make the madeleines: melt the butter in a small pan with the star anise and heat until beginning to turn brown and smell nutty; remove from the heat. Set aside to cool briefly. In a separate bowl, using a handheld electric whisk, beat the sugar and eggs together for 5-6min until pale and thick, the mixture should leave a ribbon trail when lifted. Sift flour, baking powder and a pinch of fine salt on to the egg mixture, then, using a metal spoon, fold it in. Fold in reserved orange zest and the brown butter. Discard the star anise. Cover and chill for at least 1hr or up to a day ahead. Brush a 12-hole madeleine tin with melted butter, dust with flour, shake off excess and chill until needed.
4 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Unless you have more than one madeleine tin you will need to bake these in batches. Put a heaped teaspoon of batter into each shell, be careful not to overfill as the mix will spread when baked. Bake for 10-12min until risen and golden. Leave to cool for 5min in the tin before turning out on to a wire rack to cool. Wash the tin and prepare as before; repeat with the remaining mixture.
5 Melt the white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Leave to cool for a few min, then dip the rounded ends of the madeleines into the chocolate and scatter over crushed pistachios; set aside on a wire rack to cool.
6 When ready to serve, uncover the possets and spoon over each one a little of the pulp from the remaining passion fruits. Serve with the madeleines. PER SERVING (1 posset and 1 madeleine) 581cals, 4g protein, 47g fat (29g saturates), 36g carbs (32g total sugars), 1g fibre
■ BRING-A-DISH TIP Make the madeleines up to a day ahead and pack in an airtight container between sheets of baking parchment (cushion with scrunched up kitchen towel, if you like). Make possets up to 2 days ahead and keep chilled. To transport, sit them snugly in a cake box or container, so that they can’t move, and then put the box in a cool bag. Take the remaining passion fruits with you to spoon over before serving.