Passion Fruit & Blackberry Jellies With Lemon Verbena Cream

How to Make

• Step 1: Passion Fruit mixture: Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water and let stand 2 minutes to soften.

• Step 2: Heat sugar and remaining cup water in heavy saucepan, over moderately high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.

• Step 3: Add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved.

• Step 4: Transfer mixture to a 1-quart glass bowl, then set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and stir frequently until cold but not set.

• Step 5: Stir in passion-fruit purée, chill until ready to use.

• Step 6: Blackberry mixture: Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water and let stand 2 minutes to soften.

• Step 7: Heat sugar and remaining cup water in heavy saucepan, over moderately high heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.

• Step 8: Add gelatin mixture and stir until dissolved.

• Step 9: Transfer mixture to another 1-quart glass bowl, then set in a large bowl of ice and cold water and stir frequently until cold but not set.

• Step 10: While gelatin mixture chills, purée blackberries in a food processor, then force through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding seeds.

• Step 11: Stir lemon juice and 1 cup purée into chilled gelatin mixture, then chill until ready to use.

• Step 12: Assemble jellies: Pour a 1/4 cup passion-fruit mixture into each glass, stand glasses in a wide pot.

• Step 13: Fill pot with enough ice and cold water to reach level of jelly and chill in refrigerator until jelly is just set (about 2 hours).

• Step 14: Carefully pour 1/4 cup blackberry mixture on top of set passion-fruit jelly.

• Step 15: Add enough ice to pot to reach level of jelly and chill in refrigerator until jelly is set (about 2 hours).

• Step 16: Repeat layers.

• Step 17: When all layers are set, remove glasses from ice bath and chill, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 8 hours (or overnight).

• Step 18: Lemon Verbena Cream (2 hours before serving):

• Step 19: Combine lemon verbena with sugar in a small bowl, then gently bruise verbena with a pestle or wooden spoon.

• Step 20: Stir in cream and chill, stirring occasionally, 1 hour.

• Step 21: Pour through cleaned fine-mesh sieve into a larger bowl, pressing gently on solids.

• Step 22: Discard solids and chill cream, covered, until ready to serve.

• Step 23: Just before serving, beat cream with an electric mixer until it just holds soft peaks.

• Step 24: Spoon dollops of cream over jellies.