Champagne Orange Gelée Recipes

CHAMPAGNE ORANGES

Steps:

• Combine the marmalade and sugar in a small saucepan. Mix well, place over low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.
• Cut the peel from the oranges, cut into slices and then quarter each slice, removing the white center pith from each. Put into a medium bowl.
• Pour the sugar/marmalade mixture and Champagne or grape juice over the sliced oranges. Refrigerate for 8 hours.
• Sprinkle with almonds before serving and add a sprig of mint.

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 GELéE WITH KUMQUATS, GRAPEFRUITS, AND BLOOD ORANGES

Steps:

• To make the gelée, into a large bowl, pour 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the water. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the water and allow it to soften and swell for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm the remaining 1/2 cup (125 ml) water with the 1 cup (200 g) sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Pour the warm sugar syrup over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin completely dissolves. Add the Champagne or other sparkling wine (it will foam up; hence the large bowl) and the lime juice. Taste and add additional lime juice, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until jelled, at least 6 hours.
• To prepare the fruits, slice and seed the kumquats. In a small saucepan, warm the 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar and 1/2 cup (125 ml) water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add the kumquats. Let them soak in the sugar syrup for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, section, and seed the grapefruits and oranges.
• To assemble, spoon some of the chilled gelée into 6 wine glasses or goblets. Add a few sections of fruit and a few strips of citrus peel. Spoon in more gelée. Continue to layer in the fruit, citrus peel, and gelée until each glass is full. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
• The gelée mixture will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Assemble the dessert the day of serving.
• Feel free to vary the fruit according to what's in season. In the summer, slightly sweetened peaches or nectarines are perfect, along with a few types of berries tossed in for good measure and color.
• If you're in a bit of a rush, you can speed up the jelling. Divide the still-liquid gelée mixture among 6 goblets or wine glasses and chill for a couple of hours until firm. When ready to serve, top each with a mixture of the fruits and citrus peel.

CHAMPAGNE JELLY

Steps:

• Sterilize 5 half-pint jars. Set aside.
• Pour the champagne into a large pot, and stir in sugar and vinegar. Bring to a full rolling boil, and stir in the pectin. Boil hard for one minute while stirring vigorously. Remove from heat, and ladle into sterile jars to within 1/2 inch of the top.
• Wipe rims with a clean dry cloth, and seal with lids. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The jelly may take a few days to set.

CHAMPAGNE ORANGE SORBET

Steps:

• In a small saucepan combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water, bring the mixture to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and simmer the syrup for 10 minutes. Let the syrup cool and chill it, covered, for 2 hours, or until it is cold.
• In a bowl stir together 1 cup chilled syrup, the Champagne, the orange juice, and the orange-flower water and freeze the mixture in an ice-cream freezer according to the manufacturer's instructions until it is frozen but still soft. In a bowl beat the white until it is frothy, add it to the sorbet, and freeze the sorbet in the freezer until it is firm.

STRAWBERRY GELéE

Steps:

• Run a 9 x 12-inch rimmed baking sheet under cold water and shake off the excess. Line the damp pan neatly with plastic wrap. (The water will help the plastic stick to the pan.)
• Cut enough of the strawberries into tiny dice to measure 1/4 cup.
• Put the remaining strawberries in a food processor and process to a very smooth puree. Strain and measure out 2 cups.
• Pour about 1/2 cup of the puree into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the surface. Let sit for at least 1 minute.
• Pour the water into a saucepan and whisk in the agar. Add 1/2 cup of the strawberry puree and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the puree with the gelatin and whisk for at least 1 minute to dissolve the gelatin. Remove the pan from the heat and add the remaining 1 cup puree, the sugar, the Triple Sec, and the diced strawberries. Taste for sugar and stir in more if needed.
• Skim any froth. Pour into the baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. To serve, turn out onto a cutting board and cut into small squares. Or use a whisk to break the gelée up into irregular shapes.