Syllabub

Method

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1. Put the wine, brandy, lemon zest and juice and the sugar in a bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.

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2. Cover and leave to steep 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight.

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3. Strain out the zest and discard it.

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4. Pour the cold cream into a large bowl and begin whisking.

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5. Add the steeped liquid in a thin stream while whisking continuously.

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6. Whisk only until the mixture holds soft peaks and just falls from the whisk in a ribbon. Stop there.

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7. Spoon into glasses, grate the nutmeg over and finish with strips of lemon zest.

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Chef’s Tips

• Steep the zest an hour. That is where the flavour is.
• Add the liquid gradually or the cream never thickens.
• Stop at soft peaks. Over-whipped syllabub splits instantly.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Double cream won't whip if you swap it, but for the cooking itself, full-fat crème fraîche or a lower-fat single cream works in its place.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• Shortbread
• Brandy snaps
• A glass of the same wine

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 2 days and it separates slightly, which is traditional. Do not freeze.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.