Recipe for Macaroon Lemon Posset

From The Duchess of Devonshire’s Chatsworth.

Cookery Book, published by Frances Lincoln.

Serves 6

For the macaroons:(makes about 20)

60g (2½oz) ground almonds 125g (4½oz) caster sugar 1 tbsp ground rice (fine) 2 egg whites A few drops of vanilla essence Almond flakes for decoration

For the posset:

425ml/¾ pint double cream Juice and grated zest of 1½ unwaxed lemons 125g/4½oz caster sugar 1 tbsp rum

Start by making the macaroons. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line two baking trays with silicone paper.

To make the macaroons, combine the dry ingredients and stir in the egg whites and vanilla essence. Using a 1cm/½in plain nozzle, pipe the mixture onto the trays in small mounds of about 2.5cm/1in in diameter, leaving a space between each one because they will spread. Place a few almond flakes on each and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.

The macaroons harden as they cool down so, using a palette knife, transfer them to a cooling rack as soon as you take them out of the oven.

To make the posset, combine the cream, grated lemon zest and caster sugar in a pan and bring to the boil for a minute. Take off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and rum Strain the mixture into a jug to remove the lemon zest.

Place a macaroon in each of six 100ml/4floz ramekins, and pour over the posset mixture, filling each ramekin to the top. Cool and refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set and chill.