The Dolce Vita Diaries

I was just killing some time typing ‘adopt an olive tree’ into Google (yes I know, a new kind of vanity) and found about 20 different adoption schemes. I am gutted! We were the first and these are all copy cats. Wargh. But you know what? On reflection, and assisted by a very cold glass of verdicchio, I’m taking the philosophical view. Sincerest form of flattery and all that. The thing that niggles is that some of them have barefacedly copied our designs, and big chunks of our text and even our photos, all of which we spent ages labouring over. So it’s time for cheer up food, in the form of this incredibly indulgent posset recipe from my friend Sas – who, yes, we have asked for permission to reproduce.

Ingredients for 6

For the raspberry sauce

For the posset

Double cream – 600ml/1 pint 1fl oz 100ml
Caster sugar – 150g/5oz  25g
Lemons – 2 large ones, zest and juice

Start with the raspberry sauce. Put your raspberries, bar six, into a large saucepan.   Add the sugar and squeeze of lemon and stir well. Cook for a couple of minutes until the mixture thickens. Divide the raspberry sauce evenly between six large serving glasses. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 10 minutes.

You can then start on the posset. Pour the double cream into a large bowl and add the sugar. Over a medium heat bring to the boil slowly. Boil for three minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the lemon juice and zest and mix in well.

Pour the lemon cream mixture over the slightly hardened raspberry mixture and, add a raspberry on top and refrigerate for two to three hours.