Sparkling Wine & Strawberry Jelly Recipe

Sparkling Wine & Strawberry Jelly (Serves 4)

A refreshing, adult dessert- the better quality of sparkling 

wine, the better the jelly (I used Chapel Down from nearby Tenterden). Great with Chantilly cream...

Ingredients: 300g Strawberries (Hulled & Quartered)

                          1 Lemon (Juice Only)

                          70g Caster Sugar

                          6 Gelatine Sheets (Soaked in Cold Water)

                          500ml Sparkling Wine 

Method:

1. In a medium based ban pour in your strawberries, lemon juice and caster sugar. On a low-medium heat allow to cook gently for 20 minutes until the strawberries have completely softened, and started to puree.

2. Pour the strawberries and juice into a sieve (lined with muslin) and allow to drip for 3 hours. By not pressing through the pulp, the juice will remain clear.

3. Heat the strawberry juice in a pan, and once it starts to simmer add the gelatine. Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly before adding the sparkling wine.

4. Pour into serving glasses and chill for 3-4 hours or until set.

Tropical Eton Mess Recipe

Tropical Eton Mess (Serves 6)

An exotic twist, on a Great British Classic...

Ingredients: 4 Egg Whites
                          200g Caster Sugar
                          1 Vanilla Pod (Seeds Scraped Out)
                          400ml Double Cream
                          Icing Sugar (To Taste)
                          1 Papaya (Peeled, Seeds Removed & Diced)

                          1 Mango (Peeled, Stone Removed & Diced)

                          1 Pineapple (Peeled and Diced)

                          2 Passion Fruits (Halved & Flesh/Seeds Scraped Out)

                          4 Kiwi Fruits (Peeled & Diced)

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven at 150 degrees Celsius.

2. In a stand mixer or using an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites in a clean mixing bowl on a slow speed for 2 minutes. Once at a bubbly consistency, turn up to a medium speed for a further minute and finally to a high speed for a further 2 minutes.

2. Once the meringue starts to form soft peaks gradually add the sugar until the forms stiff, glossy peaks.

3. Spoon onto a lined baking tray with non-stick greaseproof paper and place in the oven, immediately turning the heat down to 140 degrees Celsius. Bake for 2-3 hours until crisp on the outside, but uncoloured. Turn the oven off, and leave the meringues in the oven until it is completely cold.

4. Once the meringue is cool, break into small chunks and keep aside in an airtight container. 

5. For the Chantilly cream, whisk the cream and vanilla seeds at a medium to high setting on your electric whisk. Add the icing sugar gradually to taste and stop whisking once the cream forms soft peaks.

6. To assemble the dessert, add all the diced fruit to a large serving bowl, and combine with equal amounts of meringue and cream.

7. Serve immediately- if there is meringue leftover, store in an airtight container and consume within 1 month.