Melba Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.5 pint (280 ml) water (Use cold tap water)
• 2 ounces (55 g) sugar (White granulated sugar works well)
• 2 tablespoons raspberry jam (Use a good-quality seedless or seeded raspberry jam)
• 2 tablespoons raspberry syrup (Marshall's Raspberry Syrup is the original; substitute any good-quality raspberry syrup)
• 0.5 lemon (freshly squeezed) lemon juice (Juice of half a lemon; remove any pips before adding)
• 1 few drops carmine (red food colouring) (Marshall's Carmine is the original; substitute a few drops of red food colouring to deepen the colour)
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot (Used as a thickener; must be mixed with cold water before adding to the hot pan)
• 1 tablespoon cold water (for mixing arrowroot) (Use just enough cold water to dissolve the arrowroot into a smooth slurry — approximately 1 tablespoon)

Instructions

1. 1Pour half a pint (280 ml) of water into a medium saucepan. Add 2 ounces (55 g) of sugar. Stir briefly to combine.
2. 2Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the water and sugar mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sugar should dissolve completely.
3. 3While the sugar syrup is simmering, place 1 teaspoon of arrowroot into a small bowl or cup. Add approximately 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir well until the arrowroot is fully dissolved and no lumps remain. Set aside — this is your thickening slurry.
4. 4After the 10-minute simmer, add 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam, 2 tablespoons of raspberry syrup, the juice of half a lemon, a few drops of carmine (red food colouring), and the arrowroot slurry you prepared in the previous step. Stir everything together well to combine.
5. 5Raise the heat slightly and bring the sauce back to a full boil, stirring constantly. Allow it to boil for about 1 minute — this activates the arrowroot so it thickens the sauce. Do not walk away, as it can catch and burn quickly.
6. 6Remove the pan from the heat. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a heatproof bowl or jug. Pour the hot sauce through the sieve, pressing any solids (such as jam seeds or pulp) firmly through with the back of a spoon. Discard any remaining solids left in the sieve. This replicates the original step of wringing through a tammy cloth and gives you a smooth, silky sauce.
7. 7Fill a large bowl with ice cubes. Set the bowl or jug containing the strained sauce directly on top of the ice (or nestle the jug into the ice). Stir the sauce continuously with a spoon for several minutes until it thickens to a coating consistency and is very cold. This chilling-and-stirring step is important — it helps the sauce thicken evenly without setting into a gel. If you do not have a large bowl of ice available, place the sauce in the refrigerator and stir every few minutes until thoroughly cold and thickened.
8. 8Use the sauce only when it is very cold. Serve immediately once chilled, spooned over your chosen dessert. If not using straight away, cover and refrigerate until needed.