Jamaican Crunch

One man is talking to another.
'Where is your wife?', says the first.
'She's gone to the West Indies'.
'Jamaica?'
'No! She went of her own accord.'

Stick to the cooking, I hear you groan. This 'joke' is a favourite of my mother's. It is entirely appropriate therefore that she should have passed on a recipe with 'Jamaica' in the title. My mother is a constant source of inspiration in many areas of my life. No more so than in the kitchen. Aren't the best recipes those that remind you of growing up?

As with many of the things I cook, this is a dream to prepare. It can be made in 10 minutes flat (plus chilling time) yet looks and tastes far more labour intensive! Me, a cheat? Absolutely! Do give this a go - it is hard to describe how good it is. It has something in common with a Key Lime Pie (though lemony, you could probably make it with lime instead). I think it needs no augmentation, but I have been known to serve it with a few raspberries. I have also seen some pour cream over the top (though this seems a little unnecessary to me).

Ingredients (serves 4 - 6)

1 packet of ginger nuts

2 oz butter

1/2 pint double cream

1 standard sized tin of condensed milk (see notes)

Rind and juice of 4 medium lemons

1. Crush ginger nuts - either place in freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin, or blitz in a food processor.

2. Melt butter and mix with crushed ginger nuts. Mould into a 7 or 8 inch flan base.

3. Beat cream until slightly thickened. Add condensed milk.

4. Grate lemon rind and add to mixture with lemon juice. Mix together well and pour into base.

5. Cover with cling film and set in the fridge for at least 4 hours.

Notes - the original recipe states 'one small tin of condensed milk', quarter of a pint of cream and two lemons. I have not seen the small tins of condensed milk for years so use what seems to be the standard (or large) size. I have altered the recipe accordingly but find that the quantities of the base mixture remain the same.