This is a delicious recipe using elderberries and roses in their dried form.  Any kind of your favourite herbs or fruits could be used instead and you can change up the liquid component to plain water or even wine.  The amount of agar agar used, creates a firm-textured jelly.  If you prefer something a little softer to serve as a dessert rather than as sweets, try using a lesser amount.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup dried elderberries
• ¼ cup dried roses
• 1 ½ cups of sweetened fruit juice (I used feijoa syrup leftover from bottling feijoas which was a 1:2 ratio of sugar to water.  You can also use water and add 2/3 to ¾ cup of sugar or honey)
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons of fresh lime juice (or any citrus)
• 1 tablespoon of agar agar.

Method:

1. Place the fruit juice, elderberries, dried roses, lime juice and whole cloves into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat and strain.  Use the back of a spoon to press out all of the liquid. 
3. Place the liquid back into a saucepan and bring back to a simmer. 
4. Mix the agar agar to a runny paste with cold water and add to the liquid, whisking all of the time. 
5. Allow the mixture to simmer whilst whisking for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens and becomes quite clear. 
6. Next, remove from the heat and pour into silicon moulds and allow to cool and set. 
7. Enjoy as a treat or served with ice cream as a dessert or with cheese and crackers.