Apple and blackberry jelly

Serves 4

Late-fruiting blackberries are normally concocted into a crumble or stewed and made into a compote or jam to go with a creamy rice pudding. But as you know I'm a jelly freak and the marriage of apples and blackberries make a perfect light autumnal dessert with some of that thick Jersey cream. If you can get your hands on some of the rare loganberries or tayberries then I would also recommend using them.

300ml water
300ml clear apple juice
2tbsp Calvados or Somerset Royal Cider Brandy or Scrumpy Jack
200g caster sugar
15g leaf gelatine (4 sheets)
150g sweet ripe blackberries
Thick Jersey cream to serve

Bring the water to the boil, add the sugar and stir until dissolved, then remove from the heat. Soak the gelatine leaves in a shallow bowl of cold water for a minute or so until soft. Squeeze out the water, add to the syrup and stir until dissolved. Add the apple juice and Calvados, then put the jelly somewhere cool but do not let it set.

Fill individual jelly moulds or one large one with half of the blackberries, then pour in half of the cooled, but not set, jelly. Put in the fridge for an hour or so to set then top up the moulds with the rest of the blackberries and the unset jelly. This allows the berries to stay suspended in the jelly and not float to the top. Return to the fridge.

To serve, turn out the jellies or jelly and offer thick Jersey or organic cream.