Cooking like a Sailor - Syllabub
Today on Sunday something sweet, but it was a desert that was only served on the officers' table since the 17th century. So and if, like Admiral de Saumarez, you have a Guernsey Cow aboard, you can give your guests and fellow officers syllabub for dessert. This is a really easy and quicky one to make.
All the classic versions requires is good cream - either double or whipping cream - white wine or cider, sugar and nutmeg, and perhaps crystallised violets or rose petals for decoration. Modern variations include substituting yoghurt (whip first the cream and then add the yoghurt in small increments) for up the half of the cream, using orange or lemon juice (the juice of a small fruit) with half orange or lemon liqueur such as Grand Marnier for the wine, or substituting elderflower syrup for the sugar.
Start first, whether making the classic or new versions, is to start by whipping the cream until it starts to thicken, then adding the other ingredients in small increments, whipping in between additions, tasting until it seems right, the continuing to whip it to the soft peak stage. The pour it into the serving dish, decorate it and serve it with sponge finger biscuits.
Well and here is the recipe - for three to four people, you will need:
1/2 Pint (300ml) (1 1/4 cups) double or whipping cream
1 wine glass white wine or cider
2-4 tablespoons of caster sugar (depending on the sweetness of the wine)
a generous grating of nutmeg (Please pay attention to whether one of your guests is a pregnant, if this is the case, take only very little nutmeg. The spice can harm the baby and lead to a miscarriage. This also applies to parsley.)
some crytallised violets or rose petals for decoration. Place these at the last minute, or they will bleed colour into the syllabub
There is also the variant of the Whipped Syllabub as Dessert Cocktail. First sweeten the alcohol and pour into glasses, then whip the cream, season and sweeten to taste. Pour the whipped cream over the alcohol and serve.
Seen here on the Silver tablet on the table. (x) The Sense of Taste, c.1744-47, by Philippe Mercier
