Preparation
- Put the cream, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan and warm over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to the boil, then simmer gently over a low heat for about 3 minutes, keeping an eye on it so that it does not boil over or catch on the bottom.
- Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and vanilla, and leave the cream to cool for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Pour the cream through a fine sieve into a jug with a spout and divide between four glasses or ramekins, filling each only about 2 cm deep.
- Cover the glasses and chill for at least 3 hours, ideally overnight, until the cream is set. Serve with berries or a slice of lemon if you like.
Drink with it
Sweet wine · excellent match
Sauternes, Riesling Auslese or Tokaji, well chilled
The honeyed sweetness and lively acidity of the wine stand up to the sweet-sour cream, and its citrus notes echo the lemon zest.
Which wine goes with dessert? Comparing sweetness deliberatelySparkling wine · excellent match
Moscato d'Asti, well chilled
Light sweetness and fine bubbles refresh the palate after every spoonful of cream, without tasting sour against the lemon.
Sparkling wine, Champagne, and Prosecco: what's the difference?Fruit liqueur · good match
Limoncello, ice cold, in a small glass
Lemon meets lemon, and the zest in the liqueur adds a delicate bitterness against the richness of the cream.
Floral gin · good match
Floral gin as a gin and tonic, with a twist of lemon and plenty of ice
The citrus and blossom in the gin pick up the lemon, while the dry tonic gives a bitter counterpoint to the sweet cream.
Gin styles: London Dry, Old Tom, Navy Strength, and more