Making Jellies for Grown-Ups
Okay, so the other day I got this idea stuck in my head: making jellies, but like, for adults. Not the super sugary kid stuff. Something a bit more interesting, you know?
First up, I had to actually get the stuff. Went through the cupboards. Found some plain gelatin packets, thankfully. Then I thought about the liquid. Didn’t want just plain juice. Had some leftover white wine chilling, figured why not? Also grabbed some cranberry juice for color and a bit of tartness. Needed something to put them in, so I dug out those old silicone ice cube trays, the ones with the funny shapes. Perfect.
- Gelatin packets
- White wine (about half a cup maybe?)
- Cranberry juice (a bit more than the wine)
- A little bit of sugar, just a touch
- Water
- Silicone molds
Alright, action time. I poured some cold water into a bowl and sprinkled the gelatin over it. Just let it sit there for a few minutes to get all weird and bloomy. While that was happening, I heated up the cranberry juice and a splash of water in a small pot on the stove. Didn’t boil it, just got it hot enough to dissolve stuff.
Once the juice mix was hot, I took it off the heat. Added the sugar, stirred until it disappeared. Then came the gelatin blob. Plopped that into the hot juice, stirring like crazy until it completely melted. You gotta make sure there are no lumps, otherwise, you get chewy bits. Not good.
Now for the “adult” part. I let the mixture cool down just a little bit – didn’t want to cook off all the fun from the wine, right? Poured in the white wine, gave it another good stir. The smell was actually pretty nice at this point.
Then, the messy part. Carefully, very carefully, I started pouring the liquid into those silicone molds. Spilled a little, naturally. Always happens. Filled them up as much as I could.
Into the fridge they went. And now, the waiting. This is the worst bit. It feels like it takes forever. Checked them after an hour. Nope, still liquid. Checked after two. Getting there, a bit wobbly. I decided to just leave them overnight. Patience, right?
Next morning, moment of truth. Pulled the tray out. They looked set! Firm to the touch. Popping them out of the silicone molds was easier than I thought. Just pushed from the bottom and they slid right out. They looked pretty cool, kinda like ruby gems.
Taste test time! Popped one in my mouth. Success! They weren’t too sweet, had that little tang from the cranberry and a definite hint of the wine. Subtle, but definitely there. Way more interesting than plain old jelly. Felt quite pleased with myself, honestly.
So yeah, that was my adventure into adult jellies. Pretty simple really, just need a bit of patience for the setting part. Worth trying if you want something a bit different.
