Poached Meringue with Elderflower Custard & Gooseberry Coulis

I have spoken about my Summer love affair with the beautiful Elderflower and you know my other true love is home made custard...Custard is a wonderful vehicle for delicate flavours, hot it is scrumptious on a Winters day and it is equally wonderful cold in Summer months. For a recent supper event I decided to organise a ménage à trois with the aforementioned elderflower, custard and gooseberry. You can easily make this without the elderflowers as you'll have a delicious vanilla custard. This really fun dessert originated in France where it is called Îles flotantes literally floating islands. I dare you not to have a smile on your face when you see the beautiful meringue clouds floating in a sea of rich custard -let your inner child come out to play.

Poached Meringue with Elderflower Custard & Gooseberry Coulis

What you need:      -serves 6

For the custard-

• 6-8 fresh heads of elderflower blossom
• 500ml full fat Glenisk Organic milk
• 1 vanilla pod -split length ways with seeds scraped out
• 80g caster sugar
• 4 free range egg yolks 

For the meringues-

• 3 egg whites
• 150g caster sugar

For the goosegog coulis-

• 200g gooseberries
• 2-3tbsp caster sugar 

For the spun sugar (optional)

• 200g caster sugar
• 75ml water

Elderflower Blossom  Season Late May -Mid July

What you need to do:

For the custard-

• Shake the elderflower heads to knock off any insects and trim off the largest part of the green stalky bits
• Put the elderflowers and the milk into a container and leave in the fridge for a few hours or preferably overnight if you've time

Glenisk Milk Soaking The Flavours

• Put the milk, elderflowers and vanilla seeds plus pod in a saucepan on a medium heat and scald the milk by bringing it to a 'shiver' -you'll see bubbles start to form at the edges
• Meanwhile whisk the sugar and the egg yolks together
• Strain the milk through a sieve into a jug
• Get a whisk and start slowly pouring the milk into the egg yolks -whisking all the time
• When you've combined it all put the eggy mixture into a saucepan on a low-medium heat or set up a bain-marie
• Keep stirring, employ your patience and a watchful eye -you need to wait until the mixture coats the back of a spoon -this can take 10 to 15mins...longer if you have a larger quantity
• When the mixture has reached the correct temperature (70-80'C or 158'F-176'F) and is coating the spoon allow to cool and then place in the fridge for at least 4 hours

Goosegogs

For the coulis-

• Simmer your gooseberries with 1 tbsp caster sugar until they start to collapse -you can use frozen of course
• Once collapsed pass through a sieve to get a smooth mixture
• While still warm add more caster sugar to taste -remember to retain some of the distinct sourness that says 'I am gooseberry'
• Set aside to cool 

For the meringue-

• Wipe a clean bowl with half a lemon to remove any grease
• Whisk your egg whites with electric beaters 
• When they have started to form stiff peaks -gradually add the caster sugar 1 tbsp at a time and combine on a slower setting
• Continue until all sugar is combined and you have a bowl of silky porcelain white meringue -eat some from a spoon...I always do
• When you're ready to begin serving put a wide pan of water on a medium heat
• Take a dessert spoon of meringue mixture and using another dessert spoon fold it into the water -simmer for 3-4 mins turning after 2-3 -drain on some kitchen paper
• In a bowl place a ladle or two full of cold custard, pop two meringues on top and add your coulis

Spinning  Sugar

 For the spun sugar-

• To spin sugar put the caster sugar in a pot with the water place on a high heat
• Even though you will be tempted do not stir!
• The sugar will start to bubble as the water gets driven out
• Keep an eye on the pot and allow the mixture to reach a caramel colour
• Put saucepan into a bowl of cold water to cool 
• Have a sheet of greaseproof paper ready, dip a spoon or fork into your caramel mixture
• Holding above the paper do a zig zag shape or whatever you like
• You can make all the elements of this dessert ahead of time -except perhaps the spun sugar as it will take moisture from the air and dissolve
• Bon appetit mes amis 

Tips for you-

• Whenever you are foraging make sure to pick natures harvest away from the roadside

Comforting Crumbly Crumble -the simple things

Crumble- a simple no fuss dessert, a very comforting thing on a chilly February day....a symbol of  'it's the simple things that matter in life'. We usually only had apple crumble when I was little ...and apple crumble when I was big -that's just the way it was.We had an orchard that had different varieties of apple trees with some pear and plum too, but rarely did we get any fruit from the plum or pear and if we did -it wouldn't have made crumble for a family of  7!You can make any kind of crumble you like -it's one of those things, like risotto and schnapps. I made a lovely quince crumble for the Celebrating Autumn Supper  from Nigel (my food crush!) Slaters 'Tender Vol 2' . Anyway just let your imagination run wild...and don't forget the cream!

What you need;                        Serves- 4

• Fruit of your choosing - for this crumble 2 very large/ 4 medium sized pears, 8-10 small plums and a large cup full of poppas raspberries frozen from last Summer
• 1tsp ground cardamom -optional
• 110g plain flour
• 85g brown sugar
• 55g butter cubed/grated

What you need to do;

• Put the oven on to 180'C
• Cut your fruit into small-ish pieces...not too small or it will lose it's shape 
•  Pop into pot with a tsp of brown sugar, on a medium heat, bring to a simmer-even though you will feel like you need to add water -don't! The heat will draw the juices from the fruit.

• Next make the topping by putting the flour and butter in a bowl and 'rubbing' as with pastry to achieve a crumb consistency -then add your sugar and mix through
• You can play around with the crumble topping - why not add some roasted crushed nuts, oatflakes, seeds...
• When your fruit has had a few mins to simmer pop into desired oven proof dishes and sprinkle a good layer of crumble on top -don't fill them up too high as the fruit usually bubbles up

• Bake in the oven for 15 mins -brown under grill if you need to
• Enjoy with cream or custard in large quantities.

Other combinations;

• Apple, Blackberry & Cinamon
• Hunza Apricot, Pear & Cardamom
• Quince, Apple & Nutmeg
• Whatever & Tickles Your Fancy :) x

Break My Heart -Crème Brûlée

Crème brûlée .....well what can I say except I must have eaten about 20 of these last year and I loved every soft custardy mouthful and will probably eat at least 25 this year...it's good to push boundaries and challenge yourself right?! I grew up with a certain disdain for custard, I would crinkle my nose if told dessert was to be custard with bananas or stewed apple. The reason being that, my mother, whose apron strings I was cut from and who taught me that you can make anything from scratch and if you can you should...the last person on earth you would think to have a tin of custard powder in her press....well she did...Susan your secret is out now. It wasn't until my 20's that I realised the beauty of making your own. I think I thought the reason my mother used powdered was that the real thing wasn't much better. Mon dieu......nothing, I repeat nothing, could be further from the truth!

I believe that everyone has an inner pyromaniac and for mine I bought a blowtorch last year online  Kitchen Cookware Blowtorch and what's the first thing you think of making? Crème brûlée naturally and that's when my love affair really started. Who doesn't feel like a child as you poise your spoon over the burnt crispy sugary top, that brief moment of anticipation just before the crack and then the plunge into the thick vanilla custard? My last supper death row wish dish would definitely be a very large portion of crème brûlée...'Take me to the chair I can die happy'. Apologies for getting a bit Nigella there earlier - but jaysus tis a fierce sexy dessert!

What you need:

• 300ml double cream
• 1 vanilla pod -split length ways with seeds scraped out
• 20g caster sugar
•  3 egg yolks 
• caster sugar for sprinkling at the finish   

 What you need to do:

• Preheat the oven to 150C  / Gas 2
• Pop a sauce pan onto a medium heat, add the cream along with your vanilla pod and seeds
• Bring to the boil, then set aside, discarding the vanilla pod.

Making brulee for a large number at the supper club!

• Whisk the yolks and caster sugar in a good sized bowl.
• Sit your bowl on a tea towel to keep it steady, pour your cream vanilla mixture into a jug.
• Now slowly pour the warm cream onto the yolks and whisk like a mad thing so that it doesn't curdle.
• Get a roasting tray/dish pop your ramekins in and divide the mixture. Carefully pour cold water until it comes up 2/3 of the side of the ramekins. Tip-You can put the tray in the oven first and then gently put the cold water in.
• Cook in the oven for 40 mins -or until the custard is set. There should be a little wobble. Remove from oven and allow to cool, then pop into the fridge -over night is best.
• Sprinkle caster over the tops and blowtorch to your hearts content...but with care of course! If you have to caramelise them under a high grill be sure to return to fridge to cool again for 30-45 mins.
• Serve with a smile :)

Tips for you:

• I served  crème brûlées for my Halloween supper  Spooky Kabuki Supper Club for a twist I popped a couple of fresh raspberries at the bottom of each ramekin. It worked well, just make sure that any berries you use are as dry as they can be and don't use frozen as the juice from them will mingle with the custard and it wont set well at all.
• For the Christmas Special Supper I added some festive spices to the cream at the beginning and then I simply crumbled some plum pudding into the bases. These were a real hit with the guests and they work well in monetary terms because you can stretch the custard mixture further.
• You can freeze your egg whites for use at a later date -they just loose a little of their foaming power but can be kept for quite a few months in the freezer. Freeze individually.

Image courtesy of  National Education Network

Flognard/Custard Cake with Currants

So, recently I had an operation which meant a whole week at home for recuperation. I wasn't really able to do much, which generally meant I was forced to knit by the fire, peruse cookbooks and watch cookery programmes -there was an upside to the pain! About a week after the doctors dissected me I suddenly felt the urge to bake a cake -I knew in that moment I was almost fully recovered. I had been studying a French cookbook, Savouring France by Georgeanna Brennan (recipe below taken from it) and also watching a series on the 'god-fathers' of French cuisine 'The Roux Brothers' -wow, how inspiring.
There was a cake on the show and in the book that caught my eye and excited my taste buds, a cherry custard cake Calfouti aux Cerises -I had to make it. And after all this was a celebration and also a thank you to my family for looking after me. It's such an easy cake to make -you don't need a food processor as it's more custard than sponge, actually zero sponge. In France it is usually made when the cherries are in season and called a clafouti when made with other fruit it's called a flognard. I had to root in the freezer and in the depths I found the remains of a glut of currants; red, black and white. Usually you wouldn't use frozen berries in a recipe but needs must, so I defrosted them gently in a very low oven, over some kitchen paper -to reduce the wetness. And when the cake came out of the oven I couldn't stop smiling -that's part of the joy of cooking for me, it can make you and others feel so goddamn happy!

Get a spoon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flmoa2dVOSU  The very sexy & French -Carla Bruni !

• Preheat oven to 180'C, grease a flan dish size 23-25 cm
• Combine 1 cup milk, 1/4 cup double cream, 3 tbsp good vanilla extract, 3 eggs, 1/4 cup caster sugar(extra if using tart berries), 1/4 tsp salt, 2/3 cup all purpose/plain flour sieved -make sure you have no lumps.
• Pour in about 1 cm of the custard into the dish and put in oven for 2 minutes
• Put in your fruit -berries, plums or cherries (stoned), pour over the rest of the custard
• Cook in the oven for 30mins or until it has risen, browned and you can get a clean knife out of it
• Dust with castor sugar, allow to cool a little -serve warm or cold.
• Return for seconds.....!

Ready for the oven