Get set for flavour with a jelly masterclass

Jelly, both sweet and savoury, used to be made into spectacular shapes which amazed diners.

At the heart of all jelly is a setting agent. The best is gelatine which is melted and added to a liquid. On cooling, it sets to form a gel which is strong enough to be turned from a mould.

Gelatine is a by-product of the meat industry and cannot be eaten by vegetarians. A good setting agent for vegetarians is flaked agar, which is made from seaweed, but it does not have the same wobble as a jelly set with gelatine.

A colourful jelly made from the juice of seasonal fruit makes a light, flavoursome pudding packed with super nutrients.

Vegetable juices can be made into starters. My favourites are beetroot jelly served with horseradish cream and tomato jelly served with pesto.

Jelly does not have to be set in a mould but can be served to great effect in tall glasses or simple pudding bowls.

Sugar syrup

When making jelly, the liquid you use must be slightly sweeter than you want the final jelly to be. The best way of controlling the sweetness of a jelly is by adding small quantities of sugar syrup. This syrup can also be used to sweeten cocktails.

To make about 300ml

250ml water

250g granulated sugar

Bring the water to the boil and then take it off the heat. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Any remaining sugar syrup can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Blackcurrant and cassis jelly

Serves 4

500g blackcurrants

4 tbsp caster sugar

100ml water

4 tbsp Crme de Cassis

Sugar syrup to taste

6 leaves of gelatine

Place the blackcurrants sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cover with a lid. Cook for a further five minutes. Allow to cool.

Line a sieve with a piece of muslin and place over a jug. Force the blackcurrants through the muslin and allow the juice to drip into the jug. Add the Cassis.

Make the juice up to 600ml with water. Adjust the sweetness of the black-currant juice to your taste by adding some sugar syrup.

Cut the leaves of gelatine into small pieces and place in a heat proof bowl. Cover the gelatine with about 100ml of the blackcurrant juice and leave to soften for 10 minutes. Place the bowl of softened gelatine over a pan of simmering water and stir until it has dissolved, then add to the rest of the juice and stir well.

Pour through a sieve and then pour into your chosen jelly moulds, glasses or bowls. Place in the fridge for about six hours to set.

To unmould the jelly: Dip the jelly mould into the hot water for about five seconds then place a plate over the jelly mould and invert the jelly on to the plate.

Wild nettle jelly with sweet berries

Serves 4

150ml cordial (wild nettle, elderflower, lemongrass etc)

350 ml water

5 leaves of gelatine

125g summer berries (raspberries, red currants, blackberries)

Mix the cordial with water. Cut the leaves of gelatine into small pieces and place in a heat-proof bowl.

Cover the gelatine with about 100ml of the diluted cordial and leave to soften for 10 minutes. Place the bowl

of softened gelatine over a pan of simmering water

and stir until it has

dissolved. Add the dissolved gelatine to the rest of the cordial and stir well.

Pour the unset jelly through a sieve to remove any

stray pieces of gelatine and then pour into your chosen jelly moulds or bowls.

Fill four small glasses, or small jelly moulds, half full.

Keep the remaining unset jelly at room temperature. Place the half-filled glasses (or jelly moulds) in the fridge for about two hours until the jelly begins to set.

Place a few berries on the surface of the setting jelly and then top up with the remaining unset jelly. Return the jellies to the fridge and allow the jelly to set completely.

Unmould the jelly

Orange and Campari jelly

Serves 4

4 large oranges, juiced

8 tsp Campari

Sugar syrup to taste

6 leaves of gelatine

Line a sieve with a piece of muslin and place over a jug. Pour the orange juice through the muslin and allow it to drip through.

Add the Campari to the orange juice and make up

the juice up to 300ml with water.

Adjust the sweetness of the orange juice to your taste by adding a teaspoon or two of sugar syrup.

Cut the leaves of gelatine into small pieces and place

in a heat-proof bowl.

Cover the gelatine with about 100ml of the orange juice and leave to soften for 10 minutes.

Place the bowl of softened gelatine over a pan of simmering water and stir until it has dissolved, add to the rest of the juice and stir well.

Pour through a sieve and then into your chosen jelly moulds or bowls.

Place in the fridge for about six hours to set.

Unmould the jelly.

Joan Ransley is a member of the Guild of Food Writers.