Blancmange

This is a really easy and nostalgic dessert --my granny was a cook in a stately home and this is her recipe

It is so easy but needs to be allowed to set and lovely then turned out into dishes as shown

BLANCMANGE

Ingredients
Serves: 6

·        700ml milk, divided

·        2 cinnamon sticks

·        4 tablespoons cornflour

·        100g caster sugar

·        1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

·        75g shaved plain chocolate, for garnish

Method
Prep:10min  ›  Cook:15min  ›  Extra time:6hr chilling  ›  Ready in:6hr25min 

1.     Place 1/3 of the milk into a saucepan.  Bring milk to a simmer over medium heat.

2.     Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornflour and sugar. Whisk remaining milk into the cornflour mixture. When the milk in the pan begins to simmer, pour the cornflour mixture into the saucepan in a thin steady stream. Whisk vigorously and increase heat just a bit to bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Allow the mixture to boil for about 20 seconds while continuing to whisk, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla.

3.     Pour into a dish or mould and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Garnish with shaved chocolate just before serving.

Easy to flavour it with cocoa powder of other flavours and colours using syrups or pureed fruit. Capuchino is a lovely modern twist

A blanmange rabbit on a bed of green jelly grass is very evocative of childhood parties

There are also packets of blanmange to buy