Syllabub with Wine and Whipped Cream
An airy, alcoholic mousse where whipped cream holds white wine, lemon, and sugar. You drink-eat it from a glass: the winey liquid at the bottom, the creamy cloud on top.
An airy, alcoholic mousse where whipped cream holds white wine, lemon, and sugar. You drink-eat it from a glass: the winey liquid at the bottom, the creamy cloud on top.
They reproach me for my stoutness; I reply that a man deprived of cream is a man without a motive. Syllabub, my friends, is an old English trick: you make the wine hold in the whipped cream, and you get a cloud that, under the spoon, reveals itself treacherous — light in appearance, formidable at the bottom of the glass. A zest of lemon for wit, a good wine for character. Drink slowly: this dessert, like my films, hides its denouement at the very bottom.
- •Sweet white wine or sherry — a glass (alcoholic base)
- •Thick fresh cream — a good amount (mousse)
- •Lemon — one (zest and acidity)
- •Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- •Nutmeg — a grating (flavor)
Syllabub with Wine and Whipped Cream
An airy, alcoholic mousse where whipped cream holds white wine, lemon, and sugar. You drink-eat it from a glass: the winey liquid at the bottom, the creamy cloud on top.
Why this dish? Hitchcock was a fine connoisseur of great wines — he cherished his Bordeaux — and had a known weakness for sweets and cream. Syllabub, that old English delight halfway between drink and mousse, marries his two passions: wine and whipped cream.
They reproach me for my stoutness; I reply that a man deprived of cream is a man without a motive. Syllabub, my friends, is an old English trick: you make the wine hold in the whipped cream, and you get a cloud that, under the spoon, reveals itself treacherous — light in appearance, formidable at the bottom of the glass. A zest of lemon for wit, a good wine for character. Drink slowly: this dessert, like my films, hides its denouement at the very bottom.
Ingredients (period version)
- Sweet white wine or sherry — a glass (alcoholic base)
- Thick fresh cream — a good amount (mousse)
- Lemon — one (zest and acidity)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Nutmeg — a grating (flavor)
Ingredients
- Medium-sweet white wine or dry sherry — 120 ml (alcoholic base)
- Heavy cream (30% fat) — 250 ml (mousse)
- Lemon (zest and juice) — 1 (acidity and flavor)
- Powdered sugar — 60 g (sweetness)
- Nutmeg — a pinch grated (finish)
Method
- Mix the wine, lemon juice and zest, and sugar; let infuse 1 hour in the fridge for the sugar to dissolve.
- Pour the well-chilled cream into this mixture.
- Whisk slowly until you get a soft mousse that forms soft peaks (do not over-whip).
- Divide into glasses or small cups and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.
- When served, the winey liquid separates at the bottom, the creamy cloud remains on top.
- Grate a little nutmeg on top before serving.
How it was made : Syllabub dates back at least to the 16th century in England; it is said that it was once made by milking a cow directly into a bowl of cider or wine, the stream frothing the milk. In the 17th-18th centuries, it was served in pretty stemmed glasses, the 'whipt syllabub' becoming a festive dessert.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a champagne coupe, the cloud spilling slightly over the rim, with a spiral of zest — Hollywood elegance on a premiere night.
Sources : Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, 1747 · Jane Grigson, English Food, 1974
Alfred Hitchcock · Charactorium