June 2003

CHAMPAGNE SYLLABUB

One historical version of English syllabub involves a unique procedure: a cow is milked directly into a bowl of wine and fruit juice. I always thought this was a joke, but no. At colonial Williamsburg, the recipe was field-tested with the cooperation of a cow called Hannah, named for the author of the recipe, Hannah Glasse. The warmth and force of the jet of milk, it turns out, helps the syllabub to froth and thicken. To obtain the same result in the kitchen, unpasteurized milk must be warmed, then poured from a height into the wine. The following method of whipping cream together with the wine is much simpler, I am happy to say.

INGREDIENTS:
Makes about 6 servings
 
1/2 cup/125 ml/4 fl oz dry sparkling white wine
  2 tablespoons sherry
  2 tablespoons lemon juice
  1/4 cup/50 g/1 3/4 oz sugar, more if needed
  1 cup/250 ml/8 fl oz heavy cream
  grated nutmeg or ground cinnamon (for sprinkling)
  6 stemmed syllabub or wine glasses

 

1. Mix the wine, sherry, lemon juice and sugar in a bowl and stir to partly dissolve the sugar. Beat in the cream using an electric mixer or hand-held balloon whisk and continue beating until the syllabub thickens enough to hold a soft peak for a few seconds when the whisk is lifted, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and beat in more sugar if needed.

2. Spoon the mixture into stemmed glasses, cover, and chill at least 6 hours and up to 3 days. On standing, the syllabub separates into a top layer of mousse and a bottom layer of clear wine punch – two treats in one. Just before serving, sprinkle the top with nutmeg or cinnamon.

What Wine
To Cook: The old word syllabub is associated with Sillery, a wine village in the Champagne area of France. It is fun to make syllabub with a sparkling wine, and a modest bottle will do, given the strong background flavorings of lemon and sherry, which should be medium-dry.

This Recipe of the Month selection comes from Anne Willan's newest release: Anne Willan Cooking With Wine (2001) published by Harry N. Abrams, Inc. in association with COPIA: American Center for Wine, Food, and the Arts.

 
   


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