Grapefruit Posset with Elderflower and Basil

Chef Anita Lo, New York City

Number of servings

Posset ingredients

  • 2 quarts heavy cream
  • 2.66 cups sugar
  • 1.25 cups freshly-squeezed Sunkist® lemon juice
  • 3 sprigs basil
  • pinch of salt

Grapefruit ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed Sunkist lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons elderflower cordial
  • pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 8 Sunkist grapefruit, sectioned

Meringue ingredients

  • 120 grams egg whites, room temperature
  • 120 grams powdered sugar
  • 2 lemons, finely zested

Basil Seeds ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons basil seeds
  • 3 cups water
  • 0.25 cups sugar
  • pinch of salt

Assembly & Plating ingredients

  • grapefruit zest, julienned and brought to a boil in salted water then simmered until soft in simple syrup
  • micro basil, for garnish

Posset

Directions

  1. Bring the heavy cream and sugar to a boil, stirring. Simmer 5 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and basil.
  3. Allow to sit 10-15 minutes to cool slightly, then strain and divide into cups. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Grapefruit

Directions

  1. Bring cream, sugar, lemon juice and basil to a boil.
  2. Add grapefruit sections. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Meringue

Directions

  1. Preheat convection oven to 200 degrees.
  2. Put egg whites in stand mixer with whisk attachment. Make sure there is no water residue.
  3. Whip until egg whites start to stiffen and slowly add sugar. Whip until stiff peaks.
  4. Place in bowl and fold in lemon zest. Put meringue in pastry bag and pipe thin layer into circle mold. Smooth the top.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until dried out, without getting any brown color.
  6. Let cool and store with parchment in between meringues. Do not refrigerate.

Basil Seeds

Directions

  1. Soak seeds in warm water until bloomed.
  2. Add the sugar and salt and stir to combine.

Assembly & Plating

Directions

  1. To serve, on the order, top the possets with several pieces of grapefruit and a little poaching liquid.
  2. Garnish with the basil seeds, then the meringue, grapefruit zest and micro basil.