Lychee and Rose Water Jelly

Ingredients:

For the Jelly:

200g caster sugar
300ml water
2 vanilla pods, split and scraped
3 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp river salt
½ tsp rose water
200g peeled and seeded lychees
50ml lemon juice
2 gelatine leaves (titanium-strength)

For Garnish:

½ cup pistachios, lightly toasted
½ tsp salt flakes
½ tsp ground black pepper

Equipment:

Medium saucepan
Blender
Fine-mesh sieve
Small bowls
Serving glasses

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Jelly Base:
   In a medium saucepan, combine caster sugar, water, vanilla pods, bay leaves, and river salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.
   Remove from heat, let cool slightly, then strain to remove solids. Discard solids.
   Stir in rose water.
2. Prepare the Lychee Puree:
   Blend half of the peeled and seeded lychees with lemon juice until smooth.
   Strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps.
3. Combine Lychee Puree and Jelly Base:
   Combine the lychee puree with the cooled sugar syrup.
4. Bloom the Gelatine:
   Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes until softened.
   Squeeze out excess water from gelatine leaves.
5. Incorporate Gelatine:
   Gently heat a small amount of the lychee and sugar mixture in a saucepan.
   Add the softened gelatine to the warm liquid, whisking until dissolved.
   Pour the gelatine mixture into the remaining lychee and sugar mixture, stirring well to combine.
6. Assemble the Jelly:
   Divide the remaining lychee pieces among serving glasses.
   Pour the jelly mixture over the lychee pieces.
   Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until completely set.
7. Prepare the Garnish:
   Roughly chop the pistachios.
   Combine pistachios, salt flakes, and ground black pepper.
8. Serve:
   Sprinkle the pistachio mixture over the set jelly before serving. Tips:
   For a stronger rose flavor, increase the amount of rose water to your taste.
   You can adjust the sweetness of the jelly by adding more or less sugar.
   For a richer jelly, use high-quality gelatine.
   For a more visually appealing presentation, layer different colored fruits or edible flowers in the bottom of the glasses before pouring the jelly.

By following these steps, you should be able to create a delicious and refreshing lychee and rose water jelly. Enjoy!