Berry Kissel

Sort through the strawberries and raspberries and rinse them gently; wash the cherries and remove the pits. Put the berries into a pot, pour in 850 ml of water and bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until the berries soften.

Strain the liquid through a sieve into a clean pot, then press the softened berries through the same sieve with a wooden spoon to separate the pulp from the skins — discard the pulp left in the sieve.

Add sugar to the strained liquid with the sieved pulp, place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring, until the sugar fully dissolves (3-4 minutes).

Dissolve the potato starch in the remaining 150 ml of cold water until smooth and lump-free.

Reduce the heat to low and pour the dissolved starch into the boiling syrup in a thin stream, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.

Cook for 1-2 minutes from the moment the mixture starts bubbling again and turns clear and thick, then remove from the heat immediately — don't boil it any longer, or the starch will lose its thickening power.

Pour the hot kissel into dessert bowls or small molds rinsed with cold water and let cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (preferably 3-4 hours), until the kissel is fully set to a jelly-like consistency.

Before serving, carefully unmold the kissel onto dessert plates or serve directly in the bowls, garnishing with fresh berries or a mint leaf if desired.