We had a brilliant dinner with some friends last Saturday, where everyone contributed by making a course. My pal Liz took along her delicious fresh and creamy crab soup. Our exuberant host followed this up by barbequeing an excellent butterfly of lamb and to finish off I brought along homemade jelly and ice cream using the elderflower cordial I’d recently made.

If you haven’t made cordial before I urge you to try it – the taste is incomparable and reminiscent of passion fruit.  But no need to worry if you haven’t got as the commercial variety will do, though I can’t promise it will taste as memorable. You will also need to dilute the bought stuff to your own particular taste.

Lastly, the gelatine in this recipe produces a softer set jelly, so use 4 leaves if you want yours firmer.

 

 

 

Serves: 4
Preparation & Cooking Time: 2 hours
Effort Level: some effort
Shelf Life: 3 days in fridge

Ingredients:
425ml homemade elderflower cordial
3½ gelatine leaves (4 for a firmer set)
100g English strawberries
2 tbsp caster sugar

** Bottle Green elderflower cordial is OK, if a little sweet – so don’t add the 2 tbsp caster sugar

Equipment:
4 jelly moulds
Small saucepan
Measuring jug

Here’s What You Do:
Cut the gelatine leaves into strips and lay in the saucepan. Cover with 100ml of the elderflower cordial and leave to soften for 10 minutes before placing on a low heat with 2 tbsp caster sugar (don’t boil) and stir until the gelatine leaves are fully dissolved. Take off the heat and cool the mixture down by topping up with the remaining cordial and mix well.

Place a small sprig of elderflower in the base of each mould and top with enough cordial mix to just cover. Place in the fridge for 35 minutes or until set.

Slice the strawberries into quarters and arrange over the set jelly, cover with the remaining cordial mix and return to the fridge for 1 hour or until set.

Once the jellies are firm, lower them briefly in a bowl of hot water so they loosen before turning out onto a plate. Serve.