Cucumber & Yoghurt Jellies
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 220 g caster sugar
- 11⁄2 titanium-strength gelatine leaves, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
- Scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- 500 g thick plain yoghurt
- Segments of 2 limes, juice of 1⁄2
- 1⁄2 Lebanese cucumber, unpeeled, thinly sliced widthways with a mandolin
- To serve: honeydew melon balls, scooped with a melon-baller
For the cucumber jelly
- 110 g caster sugar
- 1 titanium-strength gelatine leaf, softened in cold water for 5 minutes
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, unpeeled, coarsely chopped
Instructions
1. Stir sugar and 120 ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Remove from heat, pour half the syrup into a bowl and set aside. Squeeze gelatine to remove excess water then add to remaining sugar syrup with vanilla seeds, whisk to combine and set aside.
2. Whisk yoghurt in a bowl until smooth, then whisk in gelatine mixture, divide among six 200 ml serving bowls and refrigerate until set (2 – 3 hours). Add lime segments and juice to reserved syrup and refrigerate until required.
3. For cucumber jelly, stir sugar and 60 ml water in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Remove from heat, squeeze gelatine to remove excess water then add to syrup and whisk to combine. Process cucumber and syrup in a food processor until finely chopped, pass through a muslin-lined sieve into a bowl (do not press on solids) and set aside to cool slightly (15 minutes).
4. Arrange cucumber slices over yoghurt mixture, pour cucumber jelly over and refrigerate until set (1 – 2 hours). Top jellies with melon balls, drizzle with lime syrup and serve.