LEMON POSSET

Serves 4

This is a very simple and impressive dessert and our most popular at Canteen restaurant. It can be served simply with shortbread or with berry consommé spooned over the top, once set. Fresh strawberries or raspberries arranged on the top and sprinkled with chopped green pistachios is another simple garnish.

2 lemons

425ml double cream 125g caster sugar

Berry consommé (optional):

1kg ripe strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped

200g raspberries

150g caster sugar

Finely grate the zest of two lemons. Halve the lemons and squeeze out the juice. Strain the juice and measure out 115ml.

Mix the zest, cream and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the lemon juice.

Strain the cream into a jug, pressing the zest in the sieve to extract as much flavour as possible. Discard the zest.

Allow the mixture to settle for 5 minutes before skimming the froth off the surface. Pour equal amounts of the lemon posset into glasses. Leave to cool.

Cover the glasses with clingfilm and refrigerate for 24 hours to set.

For the berry consommé, place all ingredients in a bowl. Mix together and cover with clingfilm.

Place bowl over a pot of simmering water and leave for 1 hour over low heat. Remove from heat and refrigerate for a further hour.

Line a sieve with a double layer of muslin cloth and place over a clean bowl. Pour the berry mix into the muslin cloth and allow the berry juice to filter through until only the dried berry pulp remains. Discard the pulp.