This jelly is based on a recipe by the amazing Bompas and Parr, who make the most amazing jellies and introduced me to the beauty of vintage jelly moulds. An ornate copper mould is still one of my goals - so beautiful and such a lost art.
I’ve added hibiscus for and extra red colour and zing and use gelatine powder, mainly because knowing the right amount of leaves to use is so hit and miss for me - no matter how much I research !
This jelly is delicious on its own - the intensity of the strawberry flavour and colour is amazing and the whole lot is completely natural.
I’ve used this to make a variation of my blood orange jelly cakes - a strawberry and hibiscus version with vanilla creme fraiche whipped cream.

But first the jelly….

Strawberry and Hibiscus Jelly

Ingredients:

3 punnets of organic strawberries (about 800g)

1 tablespoon dried hibiscus flowers

125g caster sugar

20ml lemon juice

water

10g gelatine powder

Method:

Wash, hull and halve or quarter the strawberries depending on size.

Place the strawberries in a heatproof bowl with the sugar, the lemon juice and the hibiscus flowers.

Heat over a double boiler using a gentle heat until the strawberries have broken down and become soft, and the juices have been released. Stir gently with a spoon from time to time. This should take about 45 minutes.

Remove the bowl and allow the strawberry mixture to cool slightly.

Line a sieve with a double layer of muslin cloth and place over a bowl to catch the juice.

Pour in the strawberry mixture and let the liquids drain through without disturbing them or forcing the juice out.

Place in the fridge to drain overnight.

Measure the liquid and add enough water to make 500ml.

Take off 200ml of the jelly liquid and pour it into a small heatproof bowl. Sprinkle over the gelatine. Allow to quell for 10 minutes. The gelatine now needs to be dissolved by heating the mixture. This can be achieved by warming the mixture over a double boiler or in a microwave oven. To use a microwave oven, heat the liquid in short 10 second bursts until the mix is just warm and the gelatine has dissolved completely.

Whisk gelatine mixture into the remaining jelly mix.

Set by pouring into a bowl or mould and chilling in the fridge for several hours or overnight until firm.