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| L.A. Apricot Wine, Peach and Blueberry Gelée |
I remember making Jello
desserts from molds when I was a teenager in Los Angeles. It was so fun to see
the fruit cocktail suspended in it and watch it emerge from its mold. Later, it was Jello shots, served at Superbowl
parties. Now, it’s all grown up with this delicious lightly sweetened fruit wine and
fruit combination. I forgot how delicious gelatin (not Jello) can be! This is incredible. But, don’t use your finest wines
in this recipe. That would be a shame because this is a technique that results in
a semi-sweet dessert, so it’s best to use sweet or semi-dry wines.
desserts from molds when I was a teenager in Los Angeles. It was so fun to see
the fruit cocktail suspended in it and watch it emerge from its mold. Later, it was Jello shots, served at Superbowl
parties. Now, it’s all grown up with this delicious lightly sweetened fruit wine and
fruit combination. I forgot how delicious gelatin (not Jello) can be! This is incredible. But, don’t use your finest wines
in this recipe. That would be a shame because this is a technique that results in
a semi-sweet dessert, so it’s best to use sweet or semi-dry wines.
We tend to think of Jello
as an American tradition. The truth is, the use of gelatin has been around for
centuries. It was used in the kitchens of royal palaces for hundreds of years,
but it was gelatin taken from the marrow of animal bones. Not so appealing! Thank
goodness it’s now commercially available since a patent was taken out for
powdered gelatin in 1845.
L.A. Apricot Wine, Peach and Blueberry Gelée Dessert
Serves: 8 (4 oz) servings
Ingredients:
Canola oil spray, for greasing cups
1 750-ml bottle California
Apricot Wine, chilled
Apricot Wine, chilled
2 T Unflavored
powdered gelatin (3 packages of Knox original gelatine)
powdered gelatin (3 packages of Knox original gelatine)
1 ½ C Granulated
sugar
sugar
1 (6oz) pkg of Extra-large Fresh Blueberries (or about 1
cup)
cup)
1 Ripe
Peach, skinned, pitted, and sliced into 8 pieces
Peach, skinned, pitted, and sliced into 8 pieces
Directions:
Lightly spray canola oil into 8 cups. Set aside. Pour 1⁄2
cup wine into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over it and set it aside for 5
minutes. In a large saucepan, empty rest of wine bottle and sugar over
medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and it comes to a full rolling boil. Be careful it doesn’t overflow. Remove from
heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
cup wine into a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over it and set it aside for 5
minutes. In a large saucepan, empty rest of wine bottle and sugar over
medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and it comes to a full rolling boil. Be careful it doesn’t overflow. Remove from
heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Pour 1 1⁄2 tbsp. wine mixture into each mold. Chill 30 minutes.
Put 3 blueberries into each mold, adding enough wine mixture to half-cover the
berries. Chill until set, about another 30 minutes. Arrange peach slices,
overlapping them slightly, in each mold. Add remaining wine mixture and
refrigerate until completely set, at least 4 hours.
Put 3 blueberries into each mold, adding enough wine mixture to half-cover the
berries. Chill until set, about another 30 minutes. Arrange peach slices,
overlapping them slightly, in each mold. Add remaining wine mixture and
refrigerate until completely set, at least 4 hours.
For the best results, allow them to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before un-molding. To serve, slide a knife along the inside edge of each mold. Set
molds in a bowl of very hot water for 5 seconds. Invert molds onto serving plates and shake loose.
molds in a bowl of very hot water for 5 seconds. Invert molds onto serving plates and shake loose.
