Butter me up
Chef!
Rob Allcock shows us how to recreate his colourful summer dessert…
This super-summery pud, created by The Longs Arms’ landlord and chef Rob, is fresh and light, while staying nice and sweet. It has several different components, so you can go all out and make the complete dish, or just try one or two elements if you fancy. “This buttermilk pudding is garnished with summer berries, honeycomb, lavender, mint, and puffed rice for added texture,” explains Rob. “It can be adapted to use any fruit in season, so is a good dish to use all year round. It is at its most perfect in summer, though, when the buttermilk is at its best (we get ours from Ivy House Farm in Beckington – a fantastic local producer), and there is a large variety of summer fruits to use.” You’ll need a machine to make the ice cream, so if you don’t have one then call in a favour and borrow one from a pal.
JERSEY BUTTERMILK PUDDING with WHITE CHOC and LAVENDER ICE CREAM (SERVES 6) INGREDIENTS
For the buttermilk pudding: 3 sheets gelatine (use agar for a vegetarian version) 350ml buttermilk 250ml double cream 100ml strawberry liqueur 50g caster sugar 1 vanilla pod
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For the ice cream: 300ml whole milk 300ml double cream 25g lavender flowers 200g caster sugar 125g egg yolks 125g white chocolate For the honeycomb: 375g caster sugar 120g glucose syrup 60g water 20g bicarbonate of soda To serve: sprig of mint mixed summer berries puffed rice extra lavender flowers
the mixture reaches the consistency of lightly whipped cream, then remove from heat and leave to cool. – Transfer to an ice cream machine and churn, then freeze. – To make the honeycomb, heat the caster sugar, glucose and water very slowly until the mixture becomes a very light-golden, caramel colour. Add the bicarbonate of soda and mix (be very careful, as the mixture is extremely hot and will expand when adding the bicarb). Pour into a high-sided container and allow to cool completely. – To serve, set the buttermilk pudding on a plate alongside a scoop of the ice cream. Break up the honeycombe into bite-sized chunks, and place around the plate. Scatter with the mint leaves, lavender and puffed rice.
METHOD
– For the buttermilk pudding, soften the gelatine sheets in cold water. Meanwhile, gently heat the buttermilk, cream, strawberry liqueur, sugar and vanilla seeds in a pan. Just before it reaches the boil, take off the heat and put to one side. Remove the gelatine sheets from the water and whisk into the buttermilk mixture. Pour the mixture into your desired moulds and leave in the fridge for 24 hours to set – To make the white chocolate and lavender ice cream, pour the milk and cream into pan with the lavender flowers and heat very slowly, allowing the flowers to infuse the liquid. – In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together, then pour the warm milk mixture over them and add the white chocolate. – Return to the pan and heat slowly until
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A Grape Match!
Patricius Late Harvest Tokaji 2012 (£13.95 from Great Western Wine) is wine writer Angela Mount’s chosen match.
“Lavender can be quite powerful, so it’s important to pick a wine that will balance rather than dominate the subtleties in this recipe. The sweet, crunchy honeycomb also leads me to this great favourite from the vineyards of the majestic Tokaji region in Hungary, with its tantalising aromas and flavours of acacia honey, candied orange peel, and orange blossom.”