Lemon and wild strawberry gratin by Simon Scott

INGREDIENTS

(about 24 portions)

For the crème pâtissière
12 egg yolks
300g sugar
600g lemon juice
400g whipping cream
90g poudre à crème
15 leaves gelatine

For the Italian meringue
800g sugar
12 egg whites
30g wild strawberries per portion
1tbs soft brown sugar per portion

For the garnish
20ml red fruit coulis per portion
1tbs mascarpone per portion
Sprig of mint per portion

METHOD

For the crème pâtissière, cream egg yolks and sugar and add lemon juice. Boil cream and add to egg yolk mixture. Return to heat and whisk in poudre à crème. Cook well until thickened. Add soaked leaves of gelatine. Cool.

Make the Italian meringue by cooking the sugar to 117ºC and pour on to whisked egg whites. Whisk until cool.

Fold the two mixes together. Pour the mixture into 10cm by 2cm rings and neatly push 20g of wild strawberries into the centre of each mould.

Place these into a chiller to set. Sprinkle with soft brown sugar, place in the centre of a large plate and gun-glaze until crisp.

Drizzle a red fruit coulis around and sprinkle a few wild strawberries. Top each gratin with a small quenelle of mascarpone and a sprig of mint.

Simon Scott