Strawberries, jelly and custard, or strawberry ‘coupe’

Prep time: 30 minutes, plus chilling and freezing time Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves 8

I had a dessert very similar to this at Noble Rot in Bloomsbury, but it was made with rhubarb. The layers and the swirl of custard on top made it seem full of fun, like a sundae. Noble Rot’s pastry chef, Kate O’sullivan, has allowed me to steal the concept and make it with strawberries.

INGREDIENTS For the jelly

– 17g leaf gelatin (about

10 small sheets)

– 185g granulated sugar – 475ml rosé wine

For the granita

– 60g granulated sugar – 60ml light, fruity red wine, such as Valpolicella or Beaujolais

– 300g ripe, intensely flavoured strawberries, hulled and chopped

– lemon juice (optional)

For the custard

– 250ml whole milk – 50g caster sugar

– 3 egg yolks

– 10g plain flour

– 10g cornflour

– 1 tsp vanilla extract – 75ml double cream

For the strawberries

– 30 well-flavoured medium-sized strawberries, hulled – 1 tbsp caster sugar

METHOD

To make the jelly, put the gelatin in a bowl and cover it with cold water. Leave for about five minutes. The gelatin must be completely soft.

Heat the sugar and 200ml water together, stirring a little to help the sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat. Wait until the syrup is hand-hot, then lift the gelatin out of the bowl, squeeze out the excess water and add to the water and sugar mixture. Stir until the gelatin has melted. It’s important that the syrup is the right temperature – too hot and it will impair the gelatin’s setting qualities, too cold and it won’t melt the gelatin. Add the rosé. You should have about 800ml liquid.

Divide the jelly between eight glasses, leaving room for some strawberries, granita and the custard. You don’t have to use all the jelly. Put the glasses in a roasting tin so you can transfer them to the fridge. Leave the jellies to set. You will need 24 hours.

To make the granita, put the sugar in a saucepan with the red wine and 30ml water, and heat gently, stirring to help the sugar dissolve. Boil for two minutes, then add the strawberries. Take the pan off the heat. Leave for five minutes just so the strawberries get a little warm (though you don’t want them to taste like jam). Whizz the strawberries and liquid in a food processor, then sieve the mixture (through a nylon rather than metal sieve). Taste and add a squeeze of lemon if you think it needs it.

Freeze in a shallow container for 4-5 hours, forking the mixture four times during the freezing process to break up the crystals. You want to end up with a mixture that resembles shards of ice.

For the custard, bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan then remove it from the heat immediately. Keep an eye on the pan as milk can boil over very quickly.

Mix the sugar, egg yolks and flours together in a bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Pour a third of the warmed milk over the egg mixture, whisking vigorously until smooth and combined. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan containing the rest of the milk, and continue to whisk as you set this over a medium heat.

Cook until the mixture thickens, being careful not to let it burn on the bottom. The mixture will go lumpy – don’t worry, just keep whisking until it’s smooth, thick and glossy. Cook gently for another two minutes, then remove from the heat. Add the vanilla.

Put the crème patissière in a bowl and cover with cling film – put it right on top of the mixture – to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool, then put in the fridge until you need it.

Cut the strawberries into slices about the thickness of a £1 coin.

Toss with the sugar. Leave to sit for about 15 minutes.

Stir the crème patissière to loosen it. Beat the double cream and fold this in. You have to work fast once you start to put the various components together. Put the crème patissière – now mixed with cream – into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Divide the strawberries between the glasses, then spoon some granita on top. Pipe a swirl of custard on to each pudding. If you find it too difficult to handle a piping bag, or don’t have one, spoon a big swirl on top of each pudding. Serve.