Gooseberry And Elderflower Cream Recipes

Steps:

• Tip the gooseberries into a large saucepan or preserving pan with 300ml water. Cook over a low heat for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has broken down into a soupy purée.
• Add the sugar and cook over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat as high as it will go and boil everything for 10 mins, stirring the bottom to make sure the jam doesn't burn and skimming any scum off when it appears. If you have a jam or digital thermometer, the optimum temperature for the jam to set is 105C, but anything around 104C will be fine.
• Do the wrinkle test (see tip) on a frozen saucer to make sure it's set, then add the elderflower cordial and leave to cool before decanting your jam into sterilised jars.

Steps:

• Put the gooseberries in a frying pan with 25g of the caster sugar and gently heat until tender, but not pulpy.
• Put the cream and remaining sugar into a small pan, bring to the boil, then simmer for 3 mins. Take off the heat and stir in the gooseberries and any pan juices. Divide the mix between 6 glasses and put in the fridge until they firm up - this will take about 2 hrs.
• To make the elderflower jelly, soak the gelatine in a little water. Warm the cordial in a small pan - when you see it steaming, remove from the heat. Squeeze the gelatine leaves to remove the excess water, then stir into the hot cordial until they are completely melted. Add 100ml cold water, then transfer to a small jug.
• Carefully pour a layer of the jelly mix on top of each glass of gooseberry cream - get the jug as close as possible so you don't disturb the cream. Transfer the little pots to the fridge and chill for at least 3 hrs or until the jelly is set. Serve with biscuits, if you like.

Steps:

• Place the gooseberries in a heavy saucepan, cover and cook over low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until the gooseberries are tender. Put the gooseberries into a abowl,crush them, then cool completely.
• Beat the cream until soft peaks form, then fold in half of the gooseberries.Sweeten and add elderflower cordial or orange flower water. Sweeten the remaining gooseberries.
• layer the cream mixture and the crushed gooseberried in four dessert dishes or tall glasses, then cover and chill. Serve with almond cookies.

Steps:

• Top and tail the gooseberries, wash them and put them in a saucepan with the water and sugar; cover and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally to a pulp.
• Keeping the heat low, simmer the gooseberry pulp, uncovered, for 5 minutes; allow to cool slightly then put in a blender and process until smooth; sieve to make a smooth puree and set aside to cool.
• When the puree is cold, add the elderflower cordial and cream; mix well and check the sweetness, adding a bit more sugar if required; pour into a plastic container and freeze for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• NOTE: allow the ice cream to soften for 10 minutes before serving.
• The original recipe instructs you to process or whisk the ice cream when partially frozen, re freeze then repeat in order to break down any ice crystals that may form; I must confess that whenever I see this instruction I always ignore it and have never had a problem with grainy ice cream: I'll leave the choice up to you, but of course it will increase the preparation involved.