Strawberries in elderflower jelly with strawberry sorbet recipe

This strawberries in elderflower jelly with strawberry sorbet recipe is like jelly and ice cream for grown ups! With fresh fruit encased in floral jelly and accompanied by a scoop of homemade sorbet, this is a delicious way to make the most of red berries when they're in season - perfect as an elegant finish to a summer dinner party or barbecue.

Ingredients

For the sorbet:

• 100g caster sugar
• 500g strawberries, hulled
• 1tbsp lemon juice, or to taste

For the jelly:

• About 900g strawberries, hulled
• 5tbsp elderflower cordial
• 1tsp lemon juice
• 6 gelatine leaves
• Borage or strawberry flowers, to decorate

You will need:

• 4 dariole moulds or glasses

Method

1. To make the sorbet, put the sugar with 100ml water in a small pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins. Set aside. Meanwhile, roughly chop and whizz the strawberries with a stick blender and push the puree through a nylon sieve to get rid of the seeds. Mix in the sugar syrup and lemon juice to taste. Put into an ice-cream maker or pour into a plastic tub and freeze until firm, then whisk well and freeze again.
2. To make the jelly, slice 600g of the strawberries thinly, put in a pan with the cordial, lemon juice and 3tbsp water. Mix well and leave to stand for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. Cover the pan tightly with cling film, then put it over a low heat. Gently swirl the pan every so often. After 10 mins, take off the heat, leave for 5 mins and then pour the mixture into a fine nylon sieve over a bowl. Leave to drip through on is own for a clear jelly; pushing it through will cloud it.
3. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine for at least 5 mins in cold water. Wring it out and stir it it into the strawberry juice until dissolved. (Pop the mixture in the microwave for a few seconds to melt it, if necessary). Cool, and when thickening pour a little jelly into each mould or glass, let it almost set, then arrange a halved strawberry on top. When that sets, dip thick slices of strawberry in jelly and arrange them around the side of the mould or glass (6-8 slices per portion). Put the rest of the fruit pieces in the middle and pour in the jelly. Leave at least 4 hours or overnight to set firm.
4. To serve, dip the moulds in hot water for a few seconds and turn them out. Spoon sorbet by the side of each jelly. Or serve sorbet on top of jellies set in glasses. Decorate with flowers, if using.