Well it looks like the fabulous hot weather has been replaced by the consistently awful British weather. Oh didn’t we just hate that lovely warm weather? SUCH a nightmare trying to decide which of my summer dresses and wedges to wear! Now it’s back to leggings with everything and hot soup lunches.

One thing I do love about the summer season, whatever defines that in this country, is Pimm’s. You might have seen my Pimm’s cupcakes previously and I have a very healthy stock of both the original and the blackberry and elderflower flavour that’s launched recently. After seeing Dom from Belleau Kitchen‘s amazing Queen’s head Pimm’s jelly, I couldn’t resist having a go at a fruit terrine myself! Here is the result though not quite as fabulous looking (I can’t compete with that jelly mould, no way siree), it is just as delicious.

You don’t want to take it out of the mould until you’re ready to serve as the alcohol will just “melt” it and you’ll end up with a runny mess. You may also want to add a lot more fruit – I hugely underestimated how much fruit would be required. You need small strawberries, but raspberries would look better probably, as they’d be whole. Maybe some blackberries, or blueberries in there too. The fruit, to my surprise floated, but if it’s topped up to the brim with fruit, you’ll be fine. My recipe below is the for one I made in the picture with just a little fruit in.

For this recipe I used vegetarian gel so more of my friends can eat it!

{Serves 4-5}

Ingredients

• A 2 pint/1 litre jelly mould, I used a bread tin
• A little oil for greasing
• 15 small strawberries cut in half + 2 extra for serving
• 8 fresh mint leaves
• 3 orange slices
• 130ml Pimm’s No.1 cup
• 700ml fizzy lemonade
• 30g (3 sachets) vegetarian gel

Instructions

1. Grease the jelly mould with a little oil and set aside.
2. Lay two slices of orange in the mould and lay 5 or 6 mint leaves around them. Top with the strawberries.
3. Pour the Pimm’s and lemonade into a medium sized saucepan and stir in the vegetarian gel, stirring until dissolved fully.
4. Bring slowly to boil over a medium heat, then boil for two minutes. Remove the heat, leave to cool for five minutes then pour over into the jelly mould. Leave to cool fully, then refrigerate.
5. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge and invert onto a plate. Garnish with remaining orange slice, strawberries and mint leaves.