Blueberry and gin jellies
Serves 8
Author: Diana Henry
Ingredients
- 400ml tonic water
- 250ml gin
- finely grated zest and juice of
- 2 lemons (zest removed)
- 150g granulated sugar
- 16g leaf gelatine (9 small sheets)
- 1 tbsp Angostura bitters
- 250g blueberries
Method
- Put the tonic water, gin, lemon zest and juice and sugar in a saucepan with 150ml of water and bring to just below the boil, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.
- Reduce to very low heat and simmer for about 5 mins.
- Put the gelatine into a dish and cover with cold water.
- Leave to soak for about 3 mins; it will soften but won’t disintegrate.
- Strain the boozy mixture into a clear jug and add the Angostura bitters; you should end up with a nice pale pink colour.
- Taste; you should get a little of the Angostura.
- Remove the softened gelatine, shaking off any excess liquid, and add it to the warm liquid, stirring to help it dissolve.
- Divide one-third of the liquid between eight glasses and add one-third of the blueberries.
- Leave to cool.
- Refrigerate the jellies to allow them to set and reserve the rest of the jelly mixture.
- Once the jellies have a firm-ish surface, divide another one-third of the blueberries between the glasses.
- Gently reheat half the remaining jelly mixture if necessary to render it liquid once more.
- 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 berries and jelly and leave for six hours to set firm before serving.
