If you loved tinned fruit with tinned evaporated milk when you were a child, this interesting, yet easy, dessert is for you. It’s based on a Chinese recipe, and is especially good served with longans or lychees. Lots of other canned or fresh fruits can be used too, but be sure to include a lot of juice.

600ml (20 fl oz) water

2 x 15g (½oz) packets powdered gelatine

350ml (12 fl oz) evaporated milk

115g (4oz) sugar

3 tsp almond extract

1 can longans or lychees

1 can mandarin oranges

1. Heat half a cup of the water until very hot but not boiling.

2. Pour into a bowl and sprinkle gelatine on top.

3. Stir and let it stand while you heat the evaporated milk, remaining water and sugar to just below boiling.

4. Stir gelatine mixture until it looks clear, then combine with the milk.

5. Cool for a few minutes, and stir in almond extract.

6. Pour mixture into a square or rectangular dish so it makes a layer about 3/4in deep.

7. Refrigerate until set. For serving, cut into cubes. Pour the cans of longans or lychees and mandarin oranges into a large bowl, including the liquid.

8. Drop in about half the jelly cubes. The remaining cubes can be kept in the fridge for 2–3 days and then served with other fruits such as fruit cocktail or sliced peaches.

Serves 10–12