Champagne jelly
SERVES 10-12 / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES PLUS OVERNIGHT SETTING
This is a fun, grown-up jelly which you can make quirky by adding home-made jetplane gummies or sophisticated by using fresh summer fruit. We made a few of each but you could stick to just one.
1 x 750ml bottle Champagne or
sparkling wine
375ml sparkling white grape juice 275g sugar
13 leaves gelatine, soaked
and squeezed out jetplanes or blueberries and mint leaves
or strawberries, to serve
Prepare the jetplanes (see recipe) and/or wash the berries and mint leaves and set aside.
In a medium-sized pot, heat the Champagne or sparkling wine, sparkling grape juice and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the prepared gelatine. Stir gently to combine.
Pour through a fine sieve into a tray placed over a tray full of ice. With a spatula, stir the jelly around in the tray. This rapidly cools the jelly so it begins to set, which will help to suspend the berries and jetplanes in the jelly – you will know it is ready as it will begin to thicken and start to ribbon slightly. Remove from the ice.
Spoon one ladleful of jelly mix into the jelly moulds. Scatter in a couple of jetplanes or blueberries and mint leaves or strawberries (do not overfill, leave plenty of space). Add another ladleful and repeat the process until the moulds are full.
Place in the fridge, covered, overnight. To unmould, place onto a plate upside down and run hot water over the top of the mould for a few seconds. The jelly should slip out under its own weight if you lean it slightly to one side as it releases.