A summery twist on a classic lemon posset. Use frozen raspberries to further lower costs – and you can double the recipe to feed a crowd.
The latest change I have made in the bid to beat rising food bills is to be less brand loyal. I usually shop on autopilot, picking up the labels I have always bought. (I’ve also heard that big brands pay to be stocked in premium eye-level positions on shelves, so maybe that’s sucked me in too.) Now I am trying to take my time to weigh up the options.
In almost all cases, supermarket own-label products have significantly lower price tags than the big brands – but it’s hit and miss as to whether the quality and taste is as good. I’m working on a trial-and-error basis, but in a lot of cases I’m happy to say I can’t tell the difference. This is quite likely because I have it on good authority that items including soy sauce, yogurt and biscuits are often made by the big brands for supermarkets, so the products are very similar (usually just a few tweaks to the recipes).
Current swaps I am very impressed with are Lidl’s baked beans, Sainsbury’s tomato ketchup and Aldi’s washing-up liquid. And if you find these swaps spark any resistance from your household, take inspiration from a rather crafty friend of mine who keeps a branded bottle of ketchup and refills it regularly with a supermarket alternative. No one has figured it out yet!
Lime and raspberry possets recipe
METHOD
- Put 400ml double cream, 100g caster sugar and the zest of 5 limes in a saucepan.
- Heat gently, swirling occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the juice of the 5 limes, then set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Place 100g raspberries in a sieve set over a bowl. Press with a wooden spoon to make a purée. Discard the seeds. Put a small teaspoon of the purée into the base of 4 small glasses or espresso cups.
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Clean the sieve, then pour the lime cream mixture through it into a jug (discard the zest). Very lightly ripple the remaining purée through the lime cream, then pour into the glasses. Chill for at least 4-6 hours, ideally overnight, before serving.
Do you have a great recipe for eating well and cutting food bills? Email editor@you.co.uk. If we print it here, we’ll send you a bottle of champagne.
*This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. Prices taken from Aldi and correct at time of going to press.
