Ypocras jelly

Makes enough for an 800 ml (28 fl oz) jelly mould or 8 small jellies

750 ml bottle red wine (not the cheapest nor the most expensive)

60 g (2¼ oz) raw sugar

2 long pepper buds, crushed

2 cloves

1 fresh bay leaf

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1 cinnamon stick

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 marjoram sprig (optional)

1 cardamom pod, bruised (optional)

peel and juice of 1 clementine

60 ml (2 fl oz/¼ cup) sloe gin, or cherry brandy (optional)

1 gelatine leaf for each 100 ml (3½ fl oz) ypocras

To make the ypocras, heat 200 ml (7 fl oz) of the red wine in a saucepan with the sugar, all of the spices (including the marjoram and cardamom, if using) and the clementine juice and peel until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil vigorously for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes more. Allow to cool; when nearly cold or cold, add the remaining wine and the sloe gin, if using. Set aside to take up those lovely flavours overnight.

To make the jelly, strain the wine and measure the liquid. Soak the required number of gelatine leaves in water until soft. (If you are making one large jelly in a mould, add two extra leaves of gelatine to ensure that the jelly stays upright.)

Warm the ypocras in a saucepan but do not let it boil. Remove from the heat. Gently squeeze out the excess water from the gelatine, add it to the wine and stir until it has completely dissolved. Pour the mixture into dainty glasses or small moulds and allow to set for 3–4 hours, or 8–12 hours when using a large mould.

This makes a nice digestive.

You can freeze the boiled wine and spice mixture before adding the rest of the wine. The remainder of the wine will keep for a week in the fridge.