Blogger and supper club host Anna Hedworth shares her sweet tastes of summer
I’ve been embracing the pudding recently; simple, sweet, tangy, summery, good old British puddings. Meringues, bowls overflowing with cream, fresh lemon and rosemary posset, sweet rhubarb and candied ginger compote are my summer favourites.
I rarely make a pudding at home, but with a recent series of very special summer supperclubs I’ve been hosting with the National Trust I’ve been experimenting with and serving quite a few.
Lindisfarne Castle and the Farne Islands have seen trays of possets and plates piled high with meringues over the past few weeks, and as I write I’m three dining events down in a series of four in some amazing Northumberland locations.
We’ve hosted events on a battery over-looking Holy Island, enjoyed drinks on the Farne Islands looking back at Bamburgh Castle glistening in the sunlight, and supper by candle light in a tiny island chapel.
A favourite moment was sitting alone in the kitchen at Lindisfarne Castle eating leftover pudding, listening to the sound of a small concert below. I couldn’t have been happier, imagining this were my home while listening to the seals calling and watching the sea birds swooping as the sun slowly set.
Later, on the Farne Islands, the sun shone as the puffins flew by
and a minke whale was spotted. I only wish I could join our supperclub diners, but then being in charge of the kitchen does have its perks; mainly in the shape of peace, quiet and leftovers. These have been special evenings of beautiful food in unique settings; the recipes here offer a sweet taste of them.
lemon and rosemary posset
Makes 8 small puddings, or 4 large ones
Ingredients
2 sprigs rosemary
2 lemons
300ml double cream
110g caster sugar
Method
Peel off two big bits of lemon rind and take two big sprigs of rosemary, add them to a pan and give them a bit of a bash to get the oil out. Add 300ml double cream and heat until it’s steaming, but don’t let it boil. Then leave to infuse, anything from half an hour to overnight.
Remove the rosemary and lemon rind from the cream and put the cream back on the heat, adding 110g caster sugar, bring it slowly to the boil and simmering for 2 mins, then remove from heat and add the juice of 2 lemons (about 60ml). Add to glasses, cups or bowls and pop in the fridge to set for a few hours or overnight.
rhubarb and candied ginger compote
Serves 4
Ingredients
300g rhubarb
2 balls candied ginger
2 tbsp candied ginger syrup
20g-60g caster sugar,
depending on sweetness of rhubarb
Method
Chop the rhubarb into inch long chunks and finely dice the candied ginger. Then add the rhubarb, ginger, syrup and sugar to a baking tray. The amount of sugar will depend on the natural sweetness of the rhubarb, so start with 20g and keep checking it as it cooks, adding more to taste. Bake in the oven at 180C/Gas4 until the rhubarb is soft and stewed, about 20 mins. Stir the mixture, the rhubarb will break apart and form a syrup with the sugar and ginger. Serve it with thick cream and little meringues.
Meringues
Makes 6 large or 12 small meringues
Ingredients
2 egg whites
100g caster sugar
Method
Ensure all your equipment is spotlessly clean, because meringues don’t like grease or dirt. Wiping the inside of your bowl with a cut lemon can help to get rid of any grease. Separate eggs, then whisk the two whites until they start to form soft peaks, add 50g of the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking with an electric mixer into the whites, then add the next 50g and whisk until the mix is glossy, shiny and forms stiff peaks. You should be able to hold the bowl upside down without accident.
Place little balls of the mixture on greaseproof paper and pop in the oven at 120C/Gas½ for two hours. Keep an eye on them, you don’t want them to colour, you are basically drying them out slowly at a low temperature. They should end up crispy on the outside and still chewy in the middle. I’ve sprinkled with pistachios and sugar, ground almonds and chopped hazelnuts so far, you could fold through cocoa, lavender flowers, cardamom sugar… anything you dream up.
