Fruit Gele Food

APRICOT GELEE

Steps:

• Heat the puree over medium-high heat in a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Mix the pectin with half the sugar to "dilute" it. When the puree reaches 100 degrees F, add the pectin/sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the remaining sugar and the corn syrup and cook until the mixture reaches 225 degrees F, stirring slowly and constantly with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides.
• Dissolve the ascorbic acid in 1 teaspoon of water. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ascorbic acid. Pour into a baking dish lined with a silpat or parchment paper, and let set for at least overnight, until gelled and firm. Cut neatly into rectangles 1-inch by 1 1/2 inches. Spread a few tablespoons of sugar in a dish and roll each square in sugar, to coat. Wrap individually in cellophane or store in an airtight container. At room temperature, they keep up to 4 weeks.
• Notes about the recipe: When golden-brown cookies and dark-brown chocolates threaten to overwhelm my petit-four trays, I can always depend on the bright garnet sparkle of these candies, lively in color and flavor. In France, where I learned to make them, gelees come in a tremendous range of colors and flavors, from grass-green kiwi to deep purple blackberry.
• And if you're a fan of Chuckles candies, these will blow your mind. Pectin is a natural fruit gelatin that you can buy in powder form, especially during canning season (June-October). Ascorbic acid, a natural antioxidant available at health-food stores, keeps the color bright.

FRUIT GELEES

Steps:

• Line a 9x 5 loaf pan with plastic wrap and coat with cooking spray.
• Bring 1 1/4 cups sugar, concentrate/purée, applesauce, and corn syrup to a boil in a sauce pan. Cook until thermometer says 224 degrees. (About 10 minutes) Add pectin and bring to a boil for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in lemon. cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
• Sprinkle top evenly with one tablespoon sugar. Invert gelee onto cutting board. Remove plastic. Cut into 32 pieces. Roll gelees in remaining sugar.

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.

HOMEMADE FRUIT GELS, BASIC RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat 1 cup fruit juice in small saucepan until it just simmers, do not cook for any length of time. Turn off heat and stir in sugar, if using. Place remaining 1 cup cold juice in a medium bowl and sprinkle gelatin over, stir, let sit for 2 minutes and stir again. Add warm juice to cold juice, stir, and pour mixture into 8 by 8-inch pan. Refrigerate until firm, 4 hours, and cut into cubes.

PASSION-FRUIT GELéE WITH BASIL CREAM

Steps:

• Make gelée:
• Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften. Cook over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon passion-fruit nectar at a time until gelatin mixture is cool, then whisk in remaining nectar.
• Transfer to a metal bowl and set bowl into a larger bowl half-filled with ice and cold water. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until gelée is consistency of raw egg white, 15 to 25 minutes.
• Put egg carton in a shallow baking pan and arrange glasses in carton, then tilt glasses to a 45-degree angle. Divide gelée among glasses. Carefully transfer pan with glasses to refrigerator and chill until gelée is set, at least 1 hour.
• Make cream when gelée has set:
• Pulse basil, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely chopped, then transfer to a bowl and add cream, stirring just until sugar is dissolved.
• Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small saucepan and let stand 1 minute to soften. Cook over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon basil cream at a time until gelatin mixture is cool, then whisk in remaining cream. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl, pressing hard on solids and then discarding them.
• Set bowl in a larger bowl half-filled with ice and cold water and let stand, stirring occasionally, until cream is consistency of raw egg white, 15 to 25 minutes.
• Holding 1 glass of gelée at a 45-degree angle, slowly fill glass with basil cream, gradually righting glass as filled. Fill remaining glasses in same manner. Chill, covered, until set, at least 1 hour.

FRUIT GELE

Steps:

• 1. Bring the first 3 ingredients to a boil at 79C. Mix togeather the fruit pectin and the secon sugar in a seperate bowl.
• 2. Add the sugar/pectin mixture to the fruit mixture and bring to a boil. Add glucose. Cook to 107C. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, and using a piping bag or other depositor, portion into the desired mould.
• 3. Allow to set before removing from moulds, the coat in granulated sugar.