Champagne Gelée With Raspberries Recipes

CHAMPAGNE GELéE WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Coat a 4-cup mold with nonstick spray. Take a clean paper towel and remove most of it; you just want the slightest film of it on the inside of the mold. Alternately, have 6 clear glasses ready. (Their volume can vary but between 4 and 8 ounces is best.)
• Pour about half the bottle of wine in a saucepan; you can do this by eye. Gently stir in sugar and allow any bubbles to subside. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the wine; do not let it clump in one spot. Allow the gelatin to soften for 5 minutes. Heat over medium heat, occasionally whisking gently for a few minutes or until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Remove from heat and gently whisk in remaining sparkling wine. Let the mixture sit for a few moments for bubbles and foam to subside and skim off any remaining.
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes and check texture. You want to catch it just as it is thickening. Check every 10 to 20 minutes until it has thickened but is still pourable.
• Pour a little of the gelatin mixture into the prepared mold (or your glasses). Add a few berries and some pomegranate seeds and a bit of gold, which you can put in place with a tweezer. Add more gelatin mixture and repeat with fruit and gold until you have used up all of the gelatin. (You might have fruit left over.)
• Refrigerate overnight. To unmold, fill a large, deep bowl with warm water. Dip the mold into the water for about 5 seconds and remove. Tip the mold gently and see if the edges of the gelatin are coming free. Place platter on top of mold and invert. Repeat warm-water technique if necessary. Serve cold. Gelée in glasses can be served as is. Serve with extra berries, if you like.

CHAMPAGNE GELEE COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Bring 1 cup grape juice to a boil. Whisk in gelatin until dissolved. Pour the mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Stir in 1 more cup of grape juice, 2 1/2 cups of Champagne or sparkling wine, and St-Germain liqueur. Let chill until the gelatin is set, 2 to 3 hours. Cut the gelatin into cubes and distribute it among glasses, also dropping pomegranate seeds in each. When ready to serve, pour more Champagne over the gelee (serve with small spoons).

CHAMPAGNE JELLY WITH RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soften the gelatin in 3 tablespoons of the water. In a saucepan, heat the remaining water over low heat and add the gelatin. Stir until the gelatin dissolves and add the sugar, lemon zest, and juice. Heat to just below the boil and remove from the heat. Cover and let steep for 20 minutes.
• Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a shallow metal bowl. Discard the lemon zest and leave the liquid to cool. Watch it carefully and, when it is quite cool and just about to set, stir in the champagne. Pour into perfectly clean tall champagne flutes and drop a few raspberries into each. Chill until cold and serve, garnished with a few more raspberries and a sprig of mint.

LYCHEE COMPOTE WITH RASPBERRIES AND CHAMPAGNE GELéE

Steps:

• Lightly oil a 9-inch square baking pan and line with plastic wrap, leaving an overhang. Combine sugar and 1 1/2 cups Champagne in a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over mixture. Let gelatin stand 1 minute to soften.
• Cook over moderate heat, gently stirring occasionally (vigorous stirring will create too much foam), just until sugar and gelatin are dissolved.
• Slowly pour into a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and cool, stirring occasionally. Slowly add lemon juice and remaining 1 1/2 cups Champagne, stirring just until combined. Let stand 5 minutes, then skim foam.
• Continue to cool mixture, gently stirring occasionally, until it mounds slightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer to baking pan and chill, covered, until firm, at least 8 hours.
• Peel lychees. Make a lengthwise slit in each and remove pit, leaving pulp as intact as possible.
• Heat lychees, sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, just until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to a medium bowl and chill at least 2 hours.
• Invert gelée onto a cutting board, discarding plastic wrap, then trim edges. Cut gelée into 1/2-inch cubes and add to compote with raspberries. Gently mix with a rubber spatula.