Stories

Spread the love with these recipes of refined desserts featuring fruits, cream and more. Enjoy your Valentine’s day by sharing these delicacies with your loved ones

Republished with permission from The National Trust’s Complete Traditional Recipe Book by Sarah Edington.

Lemon Geranium Syllabub

Syllabub is a trendy and sophisticated dessert which dates back to the 16th century. It is made of cream, lemon and alcohol such as wine, ale or cider. The lemon-geranium leaves add a delicious twist to the dessert. Syllabub is an explosion of unexpected savors that you must try!

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 8 lemon-geranium leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 6 tablespoons white wine
• 3 tablespoons caster sugar
• 300ml (1/2 pint) thick double cream

For decoration

• Zest of lemon
• Fresh lemon-geranium leaves

Method

1. Mix the lemon juice, white wine and sugar.
2. Bruise the lemon-geranium leaves and infuse them in the lemon juice mixture.
3. Chill for at least 30 minutes in the fridge – colder infusion will allow for better whisk with the cream.
4. Discard the leaves and stir the cream into the infusion. Whisk until thick. This can take some time; it depends on the weather! If it is hot and thundery, whisk gently and gradually. It will prevent the mixture from curdling.
5. When the blend is thick, pile into glasses and decorate with lemon zest and lemon-geranium leaves.
6. Your delectable flowery syllabub is ready to be served!

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Blackcurrant and Rum Posset

The Posset was originally a dessert or a drink made of milk, lightly curdled by adding wine, ale or lemon or orange juice. Later, possets became more solid. By the 19^th century, the posset had become closely related to the fool or syllabub. Rum and blackcurrant work well together – today you can order a rum and blackcurrant cordial at a bar. Warning: recipes containing raw eggs are unsuitable for pregnant women or young children.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) blackcurrants
• 50g (2oz) caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons rum
• 600ml (1 pint) whipping or double cream
• 3-4 egg whites

Method

1. Place the blackcurrants and sugar in a pan and stew lightly with the water.
2. Sieve the cooked fruit, saving a few whole blackcurrants, and add the rum.
3. Whip the cream and fold into the blackcurrant purée.
4. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the cream and fruit mixture.
5. Spoon into individual glasses and decorate with a few whole blackcurrants.
6. Serve well chilled.

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Treacle Tart

Treacle Tart is not now made with black treacle (otherwise known as molasses) but with golden syrup. I found different recipes using oats and no breadcrumbs and recipes involving nuts. I have chosen a recipe given to me by the chef in the Regatta Café at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich. I particularly liked the inclusion of grated apple or pear. Not because it makes the tart any healthier – one of the guilty treasures of Treacle Tart is its sweetness – but because I think it introduces just a hint of a different taste and texture.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

• 350g (12oz) shortcrust pastry
• 450g (16oz) golden syrup
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 225g (8oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 crisp apple or pear, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 egg yolk beaten with a little water
• Pouring cream, crème fraîche or yoghurt, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, gas mark 4.
2. Roll out the pastry.
3. Grease a 25cm (10in) flan dish and line with the shortcrust pastry, reserving a quarter for the top.
4. Warm the syrup and lemon in a pan.
5. Stir in the breadcrumbs, the grated fruit and the mixed spice, then pour into the uncooked pastry case.
6. Use the last quarter of the pastry to cut into strips to make a lattice on top.
7. Crimp the edge of the tart with a fork, pressing the lattice strips on firmly.
8. Brush the lattice on top with beaten egg yolk and water.
9. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until set.
10. Serve with pouring cream, crème fraîche or yoghurt.