SERVES 8–10
I visited two great gin distilleries on my travels for this series. To be honest, I could have done a whole series on gin. The Oxford Artisan Distillery Gin in Oxford and Forest Gin in the Peak District provided some highlights as well as headaches! I love this dessert, as it is basically a grown-up version of jelly and ice cream.
Ingredients:
- 10 gelatine leaves
- 100ml Forest gin
- 120ml elderflower cordial
- 50g caster sugar
- 400g raspberries
- 400g mixed berries, such as strawberries, blackberries, redcurrants and blueberries
TO SERVE
- 1 x 500ml tub raspberry sorbet
- A few mint sprigs
Method:
1. Put the gelatine leaves into a large bowl, pour over enough cold water to cover and leave to soak for 2-3 minutes.
2. Pour the gin into a large pan, along with the elderflower cordial and sugar.
3. Pour in 400ml water and heat gently over low-medium heat to dissolve the sugar.
4. Lift the gelatine leaves out of the bowl and squeeze out any excess water, then add to the pan and whisk in.
5. Pour half the liquid into a separate bowl and set aside to make the elderflower and gin jellies (this step is optional – if you’d like all the jellies to be raspberry-flavoured, you can omit this).
6. Add most of the raspberries to the remaining liquid in the pan, saving a few for decoration.
7. Press down on the raspberries with the back of a metal spoon to extract the juices.
8. Line a sieve with muslin and rest over a bowl.
9. Pour the warm raspberry liquid mixture into the sieve and strain through the muslin.
10. Divide the mixed berries, including the reserved raspberries, between 8-10 small jelly moulds (these can be any shape you like – have fun!).
11. Pour the jelly mixture/s between the moulds, then chill in the fridge for 1 hour until set.
12. When ready to serve, briefly dip the moulds into hot water and turn out each jelly onto a dessert plate.
Serve with sorbet and decorate with mint sprigs.
For more recipes like this, James Martin’s Islands to Highlands is out now.