Hope & Greenwood's new book is full of Sweets Made Simple

ROSEHIP ICED GEMS (Makes 30 little meringues)

1 medium egg white

50g caster sugar Pink food colouring paste

50g white chocolate

1/2tsp rosehip syrup (available from www.lakeland.co.uk)

1-2tbsp crystallised rose petals

You will also need a piping bag and size 30 star nozzle

Method

Preheat the oven to 110C/22°F/Gas 1/4. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Fit the piping bag with the nozzle.

Whisk the egg white in a spotlessly clean grease-free bowl until as stiff as a stalk and it clings to the side of the bowl. It should be so steady that you can hold the bowl upside down over your head and nothing will slip out. Send photos.

Continue to whisk, adding the sugar a tablespoon at a time until it has dissolved in the mixture.

Add a dot or two of pink food colouring paste to the bowl with a skewer. Fold very roughly into the meringue. Spoon into the piping bag.

Dot a little meringue on the back of each corner of the parchment and press down to secure. Pipe little meringues onto the parchment, working quickly and evenly.

Bake the meringues in the oven for 1 hour 40 minutes until you can lift one easily from the parchment. Then allow to cool.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl resting over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base doesn't touch the water. Fold in the rosehip syrup.

Whizz the rose petals in a mini food processor, until roughly chopped, or use a knife. Spread the base of each meringue with a little chocolate then dip in the chopped crystallised rose petals. Allow to set then serve.

SHERBET DIPPER WITH A DARK CARAMEL LEMON LOLLIPOP (Makes four)

For the sherbet: 1 lemon

100g caster sugar

1tsp powdered citric acid (from the chemist)

For the lollies: A little vegetable oil

150g granulated sugar

Juice of half a lemon

1tbsp liquid glucose

You will also need four lolly sticks

Method

Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Use a vegetable peeler to pare the peel from the lemon, leaving as much white pith as possible on the fruit. Put the peelings on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until dried out and golden.

Use a glass or jar to draw four 6-7cm rounds on a piece of baking parchment. Turn the paper over and put on a heatproof board. Brush the inside of each round with oil.

Allow the peel to cool, then whizz in a mini blender, or use a knife, until finely chopped. Add the caster sugar and citric acid and whizz again briefly to combine.

Fill the sink with cold water. Just do it, ok?

Put the sugar, lemon juice, liquid glucose and one tablespoon of boiling water in a small heavy-bottomed pan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Put a sugar thermometer into the pan and increase the heat until the syrup is simmering steadily. Watch the temperature carefully and cook until it reaches 150C (300F).

Quickly dip the base of the pan into the water in the sink to stop the caramel cooking any further, then take a teaspoon and carefully spoon some of it into each round on the parchment.

Push in the sticks and spoon some more syrup into each round - it may run outside the circles, but the lollies will be all the more lovely for it.

Allow the lollies to set then carefully release from the parchment and serve with the sherbet.

PEACH AND APRICOT PASTILLES (Makes 30 jellies)

A little vegetable oil, for greasing

125g no-soak dried peaches

200g no-soak dried apricots

475g granulated sugar, plus extra for coating

3tbsp lemon juice

2tbsp liquid pectin (can be found in sugar aisle of supermarket) 2 gelatine leaves

Method

Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment and grease it with oil.

Place the fruit in a pan and cover with 250ml of water. Cover with a lid and put over a moderate heat, bring to a simmer, then simmer for 15 minutes until the fruit has softened.

Pop the fruit in a food processor and whizz until well pureed, with no lumps.

Place the puree, sugar and lemon juice into a deep pan with 100ml of water and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Put a sugar thermometer into the pan, bring to the boil then bring the mixture very slowly up to 107C (225F). This will take a good 30 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the pectin.

Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water.

Put the pan back on the heat and bring the temperature steadily back up to 110C (230F), stirring every now and then.

Take the pan off the heat, lift the gelatine leaves out of the water and stir in - it will bubble up the pan (that's the fun bit), but give it a good stir.

Pour the jelly into the prepared tin and leave to cool and set overnight. Once set, turn out onto a board, cut into squares and coat with granulated sugar.

The pastilles will last for two to three days and should be kept in the fridge.

Sweets Made Simple by Miss Hope and Mr Greenwood is published by BBC Books, priced £16.99. 

See the Taste section of today's Gazette for your chance to win a copy of Sweets Made Simple.