Damson (or plum) jelly

For Mother's Day on Sunday, I cooked roast beef and all the trimmings for my parents, followed by this lovely damson jelly. It was made with damsons from the garden that I cooked to a puree and froze at the end of last summer, but the recipe would work well with plums too (bought plums are usually very under-ripe, though, so keep them at room temperature for a few days until they're soft and juicy before you use them).

For 4-6 people, start by soaking four sheets of leaf gelatine in a bowl of water. Then warm 250g damson (or plum) puree with 2 tbsp lemon juice, 100g caster sugar and 75ml water in pan until the sugar has dissolved (you may need less sugar if using plums - add a little at a time, tasting the mixture until you're happy). Stir in the softened gelatine and blitz with a hand blender until very smooth. Pour into glasses or dishes and leave in the fridge for four hours or overnight, then serve with double cream.

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