Lemon and cherry possets with fruit marshmallows

It might seem perverse to choose a dessert from a barbecue book* but the Pitt Cue Co crew are as good at trashy desserts as they are at meat. And you need to finish off your BBQ somehow, don't you?

So here, from Pitt Cue Co: The Cookbook . . . "A cute, citrusy and velvety post-pork refreshment. These possets can be made well in advance and will suit all sorts of fruit, which makes it a pretty perfect get-me-out-of-the–shit dessert candidate.

Serves 5–6

cherries 500g

demerara sugar 40g

blackcurrant jam 20g

vanilla pod, split lengthways 1

double cream 600ml

caster sugar 170g

lemon juice 100ml (about 2 lemons)

Marshmallows (see below)

Set aside a cherry for each posset, to use as a garnish. Remove the stones from the remaining cherries and cut them all in half. Put half the cherries into a bowl with 20g of the demerara sugar and set aside to macerate for 1 hour.

Put the rest of the cherries into a pan with the other 20g of demerara sugar, the blackcurrant jam and the split vanilla pod and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes, until softened. Remove the vanilla pod, blitz the cherries to a thick pulp in a blender and pass through a sieve to make a thick purée. There should be about 70–80g. Set aside.

Divide the macerated cherries evenly between serving glasses, reserving the juices. The cherries should just cover the bottom of the glass. Put the glasses into the refrigerator to chill.

To make the posset, bring the cream and sugar to the boil in a pan, whisking to ensure that the sugar is well combined. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the lemon juice, then pass the mixture through a fine sieve. Take the glasses out of the fridge and pour the posset on top of the cherries.

Allow to cool, then return the glasses to the fridge for 4 hours to set.

To serve, arrange the marshmallows on top of each posset. If you like, you can blowtorch the marshmallows until just browned andmelting. Finish with a cherry on top.

Marshmallows
(makes lost)

gelatine leaves 12g (about 1–2)

water 30ml

caster sugar 200g

liquid glucose 20g

fresh free-range egg whites 80g (about 4 eggs)

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

fruit purée, optional 80g

cornflour, for dusting 70g

icing sugar, for dusting 70g

Maldon sea salt, a pinch

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Put the gelatine leaves into a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak until soft. Put the 30ml water, caster sugar and glucose into a large pan and heat until the temperature reaches 121°C on a sugar thermometer.

In a free-standing electric mixer, slowly whisk the egg whites and lemon zest on a medium speed until they reach stiff peaks. When the sugar mixture reaches temperature, take the pan off the heat. Squeeze out the gelatine leaves and add to the pan, mixing gently. Be careful: the mixture may bubble and splutter a bit. Turn the mixer to the lowest setting. With the mixer running, gently pour the hot sugar mixture down the side of the bowl into the egg whites, then increase the speed to medium and continue to mix until the whites are cool, glossy and stiff, about 8–10 minutes. Fold in the fruit purée, if using, until well combined.

Scoop the mixture into a piping bag with the smallest nozzle available. Combine the cornflour and icing sugar and sift over the prepared baking tray – this will stop the marshmallows from sticking. Pipe little marshmallow teardrops on to the greaseproof, about the width of a 10p piece with a nice quiff. Put the tray into the fridge for 1 hour to allow the marshmallows to set.

What to drink: Not an easy one. I would be tempted to serve a sweet sparkling red like a brachetto d'acqui or a Cabernet Franc ice wine like this Peller one here. (But not a sparkling shiraz - too strong, too dry)

* A lot of the savoury recipes also involve sub-recipes that would take up too much space but don't be discouraged - the book, which is published at £20 by Mitchell Beazley, is awesome. Photograph © Paul Winch-Furness.

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