A Seasonal Sensation

Summer is on the horizon of the Cotswolds Hills and there’s plenty to be getting excited about. 

Giffords Circus have embarked on another one of their magical tours on local village greens across the Cotswolds, tickets are on sale for The Wilderness and Jamie Oliver’s and Alex James’s ‘Big Feastival’; not to mention numerous food and cricket festivals, polo matches and horse trials. 

The first barbeques of 2013 have been lit and Pimms is now on special offer at Waitrose – are you beginning to feel the vibe?

All that’s needed now is some good weather and fine food to make the great British summer complete.  

Even though I’ve dreamt of having such power, unfortunately I cannot control the weather, no more than Michael Fish could; however I can assist with the food. 

At this time of year, with the lighter nights which on occasion are blessed with the warming glow of sunset, it’s all about alfresco dining. 

This year, the local butchers have come up trumps with meats for the barbeque and as a big supporter of local produce I’m not going to trample on their glory. 

Instead I am going to provide you with a recipe for afters, a sweet seasonal sensation that will bring a ‘happily ever after’ to a summer meal.

Cook’s note: In this recipe, I am using seasonal ingredients. As a culinary crusader, I like many of you relish the taste of British produce, taking pleasure and pride indulging in something produced on our own turf. In recent years, there has been a vast increase in cheap imports, having a dramatic effect on farmers and growers all over the UK. When I’m cooking, I try to use only seasonal ingredients – if I can’t get it from my local greengrocer or butcher, I’m less enthusiastic about using them.  

Raspberry and Elderflower Soufflé

So many people are put off with making soufflés because they appear complex to make, often ending in disaster. I can assure you that this is a misconception, and one I myself have been deceived by on many occasions previous. This is an easy and simple dish to make, with deliciously mouth-watering results that will send a message to the taste buds that summer has arrived.

Makes 6

Ingredients

300g raspberries

3tbsp elderflower liqueur (alternatively you can use cordial)

1tbsp cornflour

100g caster sugar

3 large egg whites

Icing sugar for dusting

6 ramekins

Butter, for greasing

Method

Preheat the oven to 180’C and place a baking tray in the oven to warm up

Grease each of the ramekins with a little butter

Put the raspberries into a saucepan and gently heat for 5 minutes until the fruit softens and has a ‘mushy’ consistency

Meanwhile in a bowl, mix the elderflower liqueur (or cordial) with the cornflour and stir until smooth

Add a little of the raspberry mixture to the cornflour; stirring well before pouring the cornflower into the pan with the raspberries

Stir on a medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken. Once the mixture has thickened, place to one side and leave to go completely cold

Using an electric whisk, mix the egg whites together, adding a spoonful of sugar at a time until it has all been absorbed and the egg whites are stiff

Carefully stir in the cold raspberry mixture and mix until it has all combined together

Spoon the mixture equally into the ramekins and level the top to give each one a smooth surface

Place on the baking tray and put in the oven for 8 minutes, by which point the soufflés should have risen

Remove from the oven, dust with a little icing sugar and serve immediately with fresh raspberries and ice-cream or sorbet.