STRAWBERRY AND SPARKLING WINE JELLIES

MAKES 80

INGREDIENTS

• 500g strawberries, hulled

• 280ml sparkling wine

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• 530g caster sugar

• 9 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes

• Granulated white sugar, to dust

• Zest of 1 lime

METHOD

1 Place the strawberries and 100ml of sparkling wine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes or until the strawberries begin to soften. Remove from the heat, transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve and return juice back to the cleaned saucepan. Discard solids.

2 Place saucepan over high heat and stir in the lemon juice, remaining 180ml sparkling wine and sugar and bring to the boil. Cook until the mixture reaches 120C on a sugar thermometer (or until the mixture reduces by almost half.)

3 Remove from the heat and let the bubbles subside. Squeeze excess water from gelatine and stir into the strawberry mixture. Pour into a lightly greased, 20cm (2L capacity) square high-sided baking pan. Allow to cool to room temperature then place in the fridge, making sure the pan sits flat, to set firmly.

4 Once set, turn onto a chopping board and cut into 2cm squares. Store jellies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Dust with granulated sugar and scatter with lime zest to serve.