Chunky Raspberry Jelly Spread

Some of my favourite things to make are the ones that look like they took effort and really didn't. This raspberry spread is one of them. You stir a sachet of jelly into hot water, add a little sweetener, and then the bit I love: you tip in frozen raspberries while the jelly is still loose. The berries don't dissolve into the set. They sit there as little pockets of fruit, and every spoonful has a different amount of sharpness and sweetness.

Frozen raspberries are a clever choice for this. They are usually picked and frozen at the peak of ripeness, so they often hold more flavour than the sad punnets that sit on supermarket shelves in February. The freezing also breaks down their cell walls a little, which is why mashing half of them with a fork is so easy. Those mashed pieces colour the jelly through and give it a looser, jammier feel, while the whole ones stay plump in the set. If you want more texture, leave a few more berries whole. If you want it smoother, mash the whole lot. If you're making a batch for the festive season, the same bright flavour pairs nicely with Spiced Ginger Tree Ornaments for a homemade table display.

A tip from my own mistakes: let the jelly cool for a few minutes before you add the berries. If it is still very hot, the fruit releases its juice quickly and the spread can end up a bit pale and watery at the edges. A gentle stir is enough. You don't want to beat it, just to spread the fruit through.

Once it's set, keep it in a clean jar in the fridge and use it within five days, as the recipe says. I like it on toasted wholemeal bread with a thin scrape of butter, or spooned over plain Greek yogurt in the morning. It also works well as a glaze for a simple chicken thigh traybake in the last few minutes of roasting, because the jelly melts into a glossy coating. For a fuller breakfast, pair it with Warm vanilla spiced plums and berries, which makes a lovely soft, spiced topping on porridge.

If you're feeling a bit fancy for a weekend brunch, the Summer berry meringue bowl with yogurt uses the same raspberry flavour in a different way and makes a good centrepiece for a table of friends.

Keep a small jar in the fridge door and you'll find yourself reaching for it more than you expected.