Sparkling Strawberry Jelly

Print
Sparkling Strawberry Jelly
Recipe type: Jelly
 
This recipe has been adapted from one provided by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall in The Guardian, and is a perfect way to enjoy the lovely strawberries the farmers have been bringing to market.
Ingredients
  • 1 pound strawberries
  • ⅔ cup (5 ounces) white granulated sugar
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Zest and juice of 1 orange
  • 5 gelatin leaves
  • 2 cups (500ml) sparkling wine
Instructions
  1. Hull the strawberries and pop them in a pan along with the caster sugar, citrus zest and juice, and 250ml water. Simmer for five minutes, until the strawberries are soft. Strain, either through a jelly bag or tied in two thicknesses of muslin and suspended over a large pan, to get a strawberry syrup – squeeze it a bit, if you like, to get out as much syrup as possible.
  2. Soak the gelatine in cold water for five to 10 minutes to soften. While they're softening, warm the syrup in a pan – do not let it boil; you want it just hot enough to dissolve the gelatine. Drain the gelatine leaves in a sieve for a minute, then stir into the hot, fruity liquid until they dissolve. Set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge until it's quite thick and syrupy.
  3. While you're waiting for it to thicken, put a bottle of sparkling wine in the freezer (you want to freeze it for at least 30-40 minutes. Heresy, I know, but it works for our purposes). When both syrup and wine are very cold, pour 500ml of the sparkling wine slowly down the side of the bowl and into the jelly – the more slowly you pour, the less it will foam, which is what you want. Pour gently into a serving dish or dishes, cover and refrigerate until set, at least four hours.
  4. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/29/jelly-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall