Strawberry, raspberry and orange jelly

Warmer days, dappled skies and sunshine. I want to eat lighter food with gentle flavours under leafy trees outside or pack a picnic and go beachside by the sea. Chilled soups, crab salad with mayo, mozzarella is the cheese that sings summertime to me and of course beautiful sweet strawberries English strawberries. 

They seem to arrive earlier and earlier in markets and in shops they can be found all year round. I remember wonderful times as a child walking up the country lane from our house going to our local strawberry farm *Coles* and picking our own returning with a trug of glossy red fruit and usually our chins and fingers stained red by the time we reached home.

Strawberries will only be found on my menu for the summer months, I could share many of my recipes with you. Strawberries simply served with a bowl of creme fraiche, mint and demerara sugar is one of my favourite ways so simple but delicious. Or a classic old fashioned sponge with whipped cream and halved strawberries. Jams, compotes, pavlovas, summer pudding, strawberry scones (jam first), a salad of strawberries, cucumber, mint and viola flowers. 

Jelly always brings a smile to my face, a childhood favourite. This recipe is wonderful, lovely, light, palate cleansing and perfect summer pudding.

Ingredients

300g strawberries

125g raspberries

60g caster sugar

150ml water

300ml orange juice   

4 tsp powdered gelatine

Method

Hull and halve the strawberries. Place the raspberries and strawberries in a pan with the sugar, water and orange juice. Bring to the boil without stirring, remove from the heat.

Place the gelatine in a bowl, dissolve with a little of the warm juices, stir gently until gelatine is dissolved. Pour onto fruits through a sieve and stir very gently. Place the fruit into french bistro glasses and pour over the orange liquid. One more stir and leave to set in the fridge. Decorate with halved strawberries and sprigs of mint. 

Serve with vanilla ice cream.