Summer Fruits Terrine

Another testing - this time the delicious Delia summer fruits terrine.... This proved to be absolutely perfect for a sunny Sunday lunch, when the fruits glisten in their lovely pink fizz!    I deviated from the Delia original only in that all the fruits were from my garden, so had to substitute white currants for strawberries.  It did taste amazing, though, and Delia's note that it was easy to make and slices like a dream was absolutely true.  The photo below shows that I managed to melt the top part of the jelly by putting the mould into the hot water a bit too long... be warned!

Delia's recipes sometimes seem a bit fussy, but they do work, and she gives lots of explanations for the nervous or exploring cook.  I've reproduced them all below.  This recipe has the great merit of being both gluten and dairy free, however, the presence of gelatine means it is not suitable for vegetarians.

Summer Fruits Terrine 

Summer Fruits Terrine

Jelly:

15floz/425ml sparkling rosé wine (approx. 3 little bottles)

2oz/50g caster sugar

2 x sachets (8 leaves) gelatine (if using leaves, soak them in water first)

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Fruit:

12oz/350g small strawberries – I used white currants

8oz/225g raspberries

12oz/350g mixture of blackcurrants, redcurrants, blueberries

2 x 2lb/900g loaf tins, preferably non stick

Prepare the fruit by removing any stalks and halving the strawberries if they are, to quote Delia “larger than a quail’s egg!”

Gently mix the fruits together in a large bowl so they are mixed but unbruised.  Heat half the wine in a saucepan until it begins to simmer and then whisk in the sugar and gelatine.   Finally add the rest of the wine and the lime juice.  Pour this liquid into a jug and allow it to cool. 

While the jelly is cooling, arrange the fruit in the terrine.  Delia suggests using the prettiest berries at the base as they will be on the top when it is turned out.  I didn’t bother…  Then add all but 5 floz/150ml of the jelly over the fruit.  Put a piece of cling film over the top, then put the second tin on top of that, adding two heavy tins of, say, tomatoes, to weight it down.  Refrigerate for an hour until the jelly sets.  Then warm up the remaining wine jelly and pour it over the terrine.   Delia explains that this helps to stop spillage and makes the terrine easy to slice. 

Re-cover with the cling film and chill until firm.  When you want to use it, dip the tin BRIEFLY into hot water and turn it out onto a plate.  Use a sharp knife to cut into slices.  Delia says that the knife should also be dipped in hot water.