Clementine Posset with Cranberry Compote

I love desserts that are simple to make but look elegant and appear more complex to produce than they are in reality. This is one of those types of desserts and one that can be made in advance which is a distinct advantage at this busy time of year when there is so much to do in the run-up to Christmas.

This would be a wonderful dessert to serve on St. Stephen’s day, when you still want something that’s luxurious but a little lighter after all the rich fruit puddings and trifles traditionally served on Christmas Day.
 

This dessert has a lovely citrus freshness which is very refreshing on the palate. Clementines can be very sweet but the cranberry compote cuts through that sweetness to create a balanced dish. I have added a splash of Cointreau to the cranberry compote because I have always associated the orange liqueur with Christmas but also because it echoes the citrus notes of the posset.

The posset would be delicious served with a few madeleines on the side or as I have done with some stem ginger shortbread hearts.

I like to serve this dessert in small individual serving glasses  (about 70ml capacity) as I like to be able to see the colour and texture contrasts between the posset and the compote.

Ingredients:

Cranberry Compote:
150g fresh cranberries
115g caster sugar
1 tblsp Cointreau

3 tblsp water

Clementine Posset:

300ml double cream

75g caster sugar

Juice of ½ lemon

Grated Zest and juice of 1 large clementine

 

Method:

Cranberry compote:
1. Put the cranberries, caster sugar and water in a small saucepan over a moderate heat and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally but try not to break up the fruit too much. Allow simmer for about 7 minutes or until you have achieved a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat, stir in the Cointreau and allow to cool.
2. When cool spoon a couple of generous teaspoons of the compote into each of the individual serving glasses and refrigerate while you make the posset.
Clementine posset:

3. Put the double and sugar in a medium sized saucepan over a moderate heat and bring to the boil. Allow to bubble for two minutes and then remove from the heat. Add the clementine and lemon juices and the grated clementine zest and stir well.

4. Leave to cool for roughly 10 to 15 minutes and pour, dividing the mixture equally on top of the cranberry compote in the individual serving glasses. 

Serves 6.