St Clements Syllabub Recipes

TURKISH DELIGHT SYLLABUB

Steps:

• Combine the orange-flavored liqueur, lemon juice and sugar in a large bowl (I use the bowl of my freestanding mixer) and stir to dissolve the sugar, or as good as. Slowly stir in the cream then get whisking. As I said, I use my freestanding mixer to this, but if you haven't got one, don't worry - but I would then advise a handheld electric mixer. This takes ages to thicken and doing it by hand will drive you demented with tedium and impatience. Or it would me.
• When the cream's fairly thick, but still not thick enough to hold its shape, dribble with the flower waters and then keep whisking until you have a cream mixture that's light and airy but able to form soft peaks. I always think of syllabub as occupying some notional territory between solid and liquid; you're aiming, as you whisk, for what Jane Grigson called "bulky whiteness." Whatever: better slightly too runny than slightly too thick, so proceed carefully, but don't get anxious about it.
• Spoon the syllabub in airy dollops into small glasses, letting the mixture billow up above the rim of the glass, and scatter finely chopped pistachios on top. In my How to Eat cookbook, there's a recipe for pistachio crescents that would be fabulous dunked into and eaten with this. But only if you feel like it: the cool, fool-like smoothness of this is perfect as it is.

CLEMENTINE SYLLABUB AND CRêPES SUZETTE

Steps:

• For the syllabub, whisk the mascarpone and icing sugar together in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually pour in the double cream, whisking continuously until the mixture is pale and thick.
• Fold in the clementine juice and orange or passion fruit curd to create a ripple effect.
• Spoon the syllabub mixture into a piping bag and pipe it into glass serving dishes. Top each with a slice of clementine and a sprig of mint. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve - the syllabubs will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days, covered.
• For the crêpes, whisk the flour and egg together in a large bowl. Gradually add the milk to form a smooth batter with the consistency of double cream.
• Heat a little of the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add a ladleful of the crêpe batter to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom evenly. Fry for 1-2 minutes, then flip the pancake and cook for a further minute, or until golden-brown on both sides. Remove the crêpe from the pan and place on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Keep warm.
• Repeat the process with the remaining butter and crêpe batter, stacking the crêpes between layers of greaseproof paper.
• For the sauce, heat the sugar in a frying pan over a medium heat until the sugar melts and caramelises. Add the brandy and set alight with a match. Allow the flames to flare up and die down. (Caution: Keep the flames away from your eyes and face and make sure the extractor fan is not turned on). Stir in the juice from 2 of the clementines, the lemon juice, and the zest from 1 clementine, then segment the last 2 clementines and add them to the pan. Finally, stir in the butter until it has melted and the sauce has thickened.
• To serve, fold the crêpes into quarters and arrange on serving plates. Spoon over the warm orange sauce. Serve the syllabub alongside.

LEMON SYLLABUB

Steps:

• Whip the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl, until the cream begins to thicken. Gradually whip in the white wine, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Continue to whip until light and fluffy, but not grainy. Cover the mixture and chill until serving time.
• Serve in chilled parfait glasses, garnished with a dash of nutmeg, a sprig of mint, and a slice of lemon. Syllabub should be eaten with a small spoon, and savored.

NIGELLA LAWSON TURKISH DELIGHT SYLLABUB

Steps:

• Mix the cointreau, lemon juice and sugar in a large bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
• Slowly stir in the cream and then begin to whisk with an electric mixer.
• Whisk until the cream is fairly thick, but not thick enough to hold its shape.
• Sprinkle in the flower waters and keep whisking until you have a light and airy mixture that forms soft peaks.
• Be careful, it's better to have it a bit too runny than too thick.
• Spoon into small glasses, letting the mixture come up over the rim of the glass.
• Scatter finely chopped pistachios on top.