Whole cherry jelly with chocolate mousse and cream

Serves 4 Desserts and puddings

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Method

Put the cherries and elderflower cordial into a medium saucepan and slowly bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes until the cherries are soft. Tip them into a bowl and leave to cool.

Strain the juices from the cherries into a measuring jug (there should be about 200ml). Remove and discard the stones from the cherries.

Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Put 2tbsp of the cherry juice into a small saucepan. Squeeze the gelatine to remove excess water, add to the pan, then gently heat until dissolved. Add this to the rest of the juices in the jug, stirring to combine.

Pour the cherry juice into the base of 4 serving glasses, to a depth of about 1.5cm. Put them on a tray in the fridge (to get an asymmetrical finish, you could place them on a tray and prop up with tissue so the glasses are tipped slightly).

When the jelly has set, break the chocolate into a medium heatproof bowl and pour in the double cream. Sit the bowl over a small pan of simmering water ensuring the base doesn’t touch the water, then melt for 4 minutes. Remove and stir gently to melt completely; leave to cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk the whipping cream to form soft peaks and fold into the chocolate mixture. Take the glasses out of the fridge, and divide the chocolate mousse among them. Return to the fridge for about 1 hour until the chocolate mousse is set.

Divide the reserved cherries among the glasses and return again to the fridge. To serve, whisk the double cream and whipping cream for the topping together with the elderflower cordial until it is firm enough to scoop on top of the lightly set cherries.