Lisa Faulkner, author of Recipes from my Mother for my Daughter and mother herself,  has shared her recipe for Strawberry and Vanilla Jellies that will keep the kids happy and healthy. that will keep the kids happy and healthy.

These tasty treats are full of fresh berry puree and delicately flavored with a vanilla pod. If you don’t have any jelly molds set the mixture in small plastic cups instead.

Serves 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Chilling time: 4 hours or overnight

 

5 leaves gelatin

1 kg (2 ¼ lb) strawberries, roughly chopped
100 g (4 oz) caster sugar
100 ml (3 ½ fl oz) water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 vanilla pod
Few tiny sweets to decorate

Put the gelatin into a shallow dish a little larger than the gelatin sheets, cover with cold water and leave for about five minutes to soften.
Add the strawberries to a saucepan then add the sugar, water and lemon juice. Slit the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the black seeds, add the seeds and pod to the pan and cook over a gentle heat for about five minutes, stirring from time to time until the strawberries are very soft.
Discard the vanilla pod then press the mixture through a sieve into a large jug until you are left with the strawberry pulp.
Drain the gelatin, squeezing out the water then add the softened leaves to the warm strawberry pump and stir until it has dissolved. Pour into six individual molds set on a tray, leave until cool then transfer to the fridge until set.
When ready to serve, dip each mold into a dish of hot water, count to five, loosen the top edge of the jelly with a wetted finger then turn out on to a plate. Repeat with the other jellies then decorate with sweetie eyes, nose and tummy buttons. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe wasn’t crafted just for the kids but to help those suffering from breast cancer as well! Lisa provided this recipe to support Breast Cancer Care’s Strawberry Tea Campaign, sponsored by Seasonal Berries. The campaign runs until 31 August and raises money to help the 50,000 people diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Find out more at www.breastcancercare.org.uk/strawberry

These fun crafty treats are an opportunity to bond with the kids and share smiles from the minute you start making them, to the time the last one is eaten. Enjoy!

Photo courtesy of: Lisa Faulkner’s twitter