Rhubarb posset

Bring the sugar and water to a gentle simmer in a heavy-based saucepan. Wash the rhubarb stems, slice into three centimetre pieces and add to the simmering syrup.

Allow the rhubarb to cook in the syrup for seven to eight minutes. Remove from the heat and then drain the syrup off the rhubarb. This should give you 175ml of syrup and 190g of cooked rhubarb. Reserve a little of the cooked rhubarb to decorate.

Have ready five glasses, each able to hold a little over 100mls. Simmer the rhubarb syrup and lemon juice in a pan and reduce to about 75ml, then add the cooked rhubarb and keep it warm. In another pan, bring the cream and sugar to a boil, tip in the rhubarb, heat until it begins to thicken, then spoon into the glasses. Set aside to cool, then chill for a few hours to set before serving.

I served my posset with a dollop of cream, some reserved rhubarb, a sprig of fresh mint and a sprinkling of crushed pistachio, with a few stem ginger cookies.