Ingredients

• 600ml/20fl oz double cream
• 150g/5½oz caster sugar
• 2 large lemons
• zest and juice only
• 4 free-range egg whites
• 250g/9oz caster sugar
• 150g/5½oz soft light brown sugar
• 150g/5½oz softened butter
• plus extra for greasing
• 250g/9oz golden syrup
• 75g/2½ oz black treacle
• 125g/4½oz oat flakes
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 3 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp mixed spice powder
• pinch salt
• 2 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 25ml/1fl oz milk
• 4 sprigs fresh lemon balm
• 4 scoops ready-made lemon sorbet (optional)

Directions

• For the lemon posset
• slowly bring the double cream and sugar to the boil in a large saucepan over a low heat
• stirring well to dissolve the sugar in the cream. Boil for 3 minutes
• then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Once the cream mixture has cooled
• whisk in the lemon juice and zest. Pour the posset mixture into 6 glass serving bowls and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
• For the meringue shards
• preheat the oven to 65C/50C Fan/Gas ¼ (or to the lowest setting on your oven). Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or a sheet of baking parchment.
• Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Gradually whisk in the sugar a little at a time
• until the meringue mixture is glossy.
• Spread the meringue in a thin
• even layer all over the lined baking tray using a palette knife. Bake in the oven for 3-4 hours
• or until completely dried out (this will take less time if your oven temperature is higher than suggested above).
• Bend the silicone mat or lining paper to break the meringue into shards. Remove the meringue shards from the silicone mat using a palette knife and set aside to cool.
• For the Jamaican gingerbread
• increase the oven temperature to 140C/120C Fan/Gas 1. Grease a 30x20cm/12x8in cake tin with butter.
• Melt the sugar
• butter
• syrup and treacle in a small saucepan over a low heat
• stirring well to combine.
• In a mixing bowl
• mix together the oats
• flour
• ginger
• nutmeg
• mixed spice and salt until well combined. Add the eggs and milk
• pour over the melted syrup mixture
• then whisk slowly until well combined.
• Pour the gingerbread mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 1¼ hours
• or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• To serve
• crumble a little of the gingerbread on top of each posset
• then garnish with a lemon balm sprig. Place the serving dishes onto small plates. Decorate the plates with the meringue shards and a few thin slices of the remaining gingerbread. Place a scoop of lemon sorbet alongside
• if desired.