Chef John Ash

These are sweets that shouldn’t be forgotten.  They are often the stuff of our childhood. Many have regional or international roots but if you aren’t from that part of the world, you may not know about them.  Here are some for you to discover and try.  Many take advantage of local ingredients but the overriding consideration is that they are very simple, homey and easy to do.  Your Grandmother would be proud.

LIME POSSET

Serves 4

Posset (pronounced pos-it) originally was an English drink made of hot milk curdled with ale or wine and usually sweetened and spiced.  Here it becomes a lovely rich dessert.  I’ve made it with lime juice here, but any citrus juice would work.  Also, experiment with adding spices that you like. It is a magical elixir.  There is no egg or gelatin to thicken it.  It’s magical!

2-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, not ultra-pasteurized

3/4 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

Pinch of dried ginger

Fresh berries for garnish

Whisk together the cream and sugar in a stainless-steel pot with high sides. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking often. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed.  Keep an eye on it because mixture can overflow while simmering.

Remove the mixture from the heat and immediately whisk in the lime juice and ginger. The mixture will curdle slightly. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes. Whisk one last time until very smooth and creamy.

Divide the posset among four 5 or 6-ounce glasses or ramekins. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set and thicken the posset. Serve chilled topped with some fresh berries if desired. 

BANANAS FOSTER

Serves 4

This is thought to be the Bananas Foster recipe from the original source and creator of this dessert: Brennan’s Restaurant in New Orleans. Created in 1951, the dessert was purportedly named for Richard Foster, who served with Brennan’s founder Owen Brennan on the New Orleans Crime Commission.   Richard Foster was a frequent customer of Brennan’s and a very good friend of Owen.

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup banana liqueur

4 bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then halved

1/4 cup dark rum

4 scoops vanilla ice cream

Combine the butter, sugar, and cinnamon in a flambé pan or skillet. Place the pan over low heat either on an alcohol burner or on top of the stove, and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the banana liqueur, then place the bananas in the pan. When the banana sections soften and begin to brown, carefully add the rum. Continue to cook the sauce until the rum is hot, then tip the pan slightly to ignite the rum. When the flames subside, lift the bananas out of the pan and place four pieces over each portion of ice cream. Generously spoon warm sauce over the top of the ice cream and serve immediately.

Get all recipes here: https://chefjohnash.substack.com/p/desserts-that-would-make-your-grandmother

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