Upgrade your jelly with a splash of gin for the ultimate grown-up dessert on warmer days
Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
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Published
Okay, it is boozy (sugar), but this is a ‘treat’ dish. You will probably think there’s a lot of gelatine in the jelly, but alcohol inhibits the setting properties so you need more. The Angostura bitters isn’t absolutely necessary but it makes the jelly a lovely pale pink colour and foxes diners… they can never guess the secret ingredient.
Requires setting, soaking and cooling time
Overview
Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
5 mins
Serves
8
Ingredients
- 400ml tonic water
- 250ml gin
- Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons (zest removed with a zester)
- 150g granulated sugar
- 16g leaf gelatine (9 small sheets)
- 1 tbsp Angostura bitters
- 250g blueberries
Method
Step
Put 400ml tonic water, 250ml gin, the finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons and 150g granulated sugar in a saucepan with 150ml water and bring to just below the boil, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.
Step
Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for about five minutes.
Step
Put 16g leaf gelatine (9 small sheets) into a dish and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for about three minutes; it will soften but won’t disintegrate.
Step
Strain the boozy mixture into a clear jug and add 1 tbsp Angostura bitters; you should end up with a nice pale pink colour. Taste; you should get a little of the Angostura but it shouldn’t overwhelm.
Step
Remove the softened gelatine, shaking off any excess liquid, and add it to the warm liquid, stirring to help it dissolve. (The liquid needs to be warm to help the gelatine melt, but you shouldn’t put gelatine into boiling or very hot liquid.)
Step
Divide one third of the liquid between eight glasses and add 80-85g of the blueberries. Leave to cool. Refrigerate the jellies to allow them to set and reserve the rest of the jelly mixture.
Step
Once the jellies have a firm-ish surface, divide another 80-85g blueberries between the glasses and gently reheat half the remaining jelly mixture if necessary to render it liquid once more (you should always be able to put your finger into it; if the liquid gets too hot it will destroy the gelatine’s setting qualities).
Step
Leave to cool a little and top up the glasses evenly with this. Put in the fridge to set. Repeat, to use up the remaining 80-85g blueberries and jelly, then leave for six hours to set firm before serving, just to be on the safe side.
Extracted from A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry (Octopus Publishing Group, £30)