Win a copy of Cookery School

Cookery School is a new cookery programme airing daily on Channel 4. It stars Michelin-starred Richard Corrigan and food writer and chef Gizzi Erskine, who work with 6 amateur cooks each week. Each day the students have to master 3 dishes in the hope of making it through to the final.

If you have missed the show so far, you can catch up on 4od or on You Tube. I have missed it on tv so far, as I am at work when it is on, but I watched the episode where they make Lemon Posset on You Tube and It looks like a great show.

I picked up a great tip whilst I was watching the students making their desserts. If you need to cool down a dessert really quickly, pop the bowl in a bigger bowl that is filled with iced water and salt. The chemical reaction makes the water even colder for a really quick chill.

Here is Richard's recipe for the Lemon Posset and what he says about it.

Richard: "I really rate this pudding. Who wants a crème brulée when you can have a posset? They are just so English; they always make me think of the north of England in particular. Possets date from medieval times when they were hot milk drinks curdled with ale and considered both a remedy for colds and an aid to good sleep. I love the way the punchy, refreshing smell of lemon translates on to your hands as you make this dish. When you’re zesting the lemon, keep your hand on the top of the lemon because the grater is very sharp; it does enjoy meeting fingers"

















Richard Corrigan's Lemon Posset

Ingredients

600ml double cream
140g caster sugar
Grated zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons

For the butter shortbread

255g plain flour, sifted
170g salted butter, diced and kept cold
125g caster sugar, plus extra to dust

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/gas mark 3. Heat the cream and sugar to scalding point, not boiling, in a small saucepan. While still on the heat, whisk in the lemon zest and juice and bring to the boil for 30 seconds, whisking all the time.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and put to one side for the posset mixture to cool. When cool, pour into 4 small (150ml) glasses, then refrigerate until set. This should take around 30 minutes.

3. To make the shortbread, whizz the flour, butter and caster sugar together in a food processor, until the mixture comes together. Alternatively you can do this with your hands by rubbing the mixture together between your fingertips and then lightly pressing it together to form a ball – don’t overwork the dough at this stage. Turn out on to a sheet of non-stick greaseproof paper and roll out to ½cm thick using a floured rolling pin. Using a 5cm round pastry cutter, cut out rounds of dough and carefully transfer to a baking sheet lined with more greaseproof paper. Sprinkle with some extra caster sugar and bake in the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes or until lightly golden. Once out of the oven allow the shortbread rounds to rest for 10 minutes.

4. Serve the posset chilled, accompanied by the warm shortbread.

Serves 4

I have one copy of the Cookery School cookbook which ties in with the series, to give away to one lucky reader. The book is designed to be a written cookery school. You simply work your way through the chapters, gaining skills as you go. Now I know you are all great cooks anyway, but I also know you love food and cookery books, so I know you will be tempted.

If you would like to win a copy of the cookbook, then simply leave a comment. If you don't have a blog, then be sure to leave your name and email address. This competition is open until 10am on Sunday 27th February 2011. Unfortunately this competition is only open to readers living in the UK.

Disclosure Statement: I received this book free from the publisher to review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.