Homemade Fruit Gels Basic Food

FRUIT JELLIES

Steps:

• Place 2/3 cup juice in a small bowl or measuring cup and sprinkle with gelatin. Let sit 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine remaining 2/3 cup juice and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 5 minutes. Add preserves and whisk to combine. Return to a boil and cook until thick and syrupy, 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and whisk until gelatin dissolves. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8-inch square baking dish. Refrigerate until set, 3 hours (or up to 2 weeks).
• Place remaining 1 cup sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Cut fruit jelly into 1-inch squares. Toss in sugar to coat just before serving.

HOMEMADE FRUIT GUMMIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Measure 1 c. berries into a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat and stir and mash into a puree or use an immersion blender. (Alternately you could blend the berries in a blender all together and put 2/3 c. in the pot and 1/3 c. cold.)
• With the immersion blender, blend 1/2 c. berries in a jar or dish. (This can be tricky with such a small amount. Use the big blender if need be.)
• Sprinkle gelatin (use the coupon KS10 for 10% off!) into the cold berry puree and mix.
• Once the cooked berry puree is bubbling, pour it into the cold mixture.
• Blend it all up together with the immersion blender.
• Pour into a small glass dish or casserole dish (about a cm deep or less is good for the poured mixture).
• Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• Once gelled semi-solid, you can cut into any size cubes you like.
• Store in the refrigerator, NOT at room temp like purchased "gummy" snacks.

BASIC POTPIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet, set over moderate heat until hot. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the wine and reduce 1 minute. Add the broth, thyme, and rosemary, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile combine cornstarch/arrowroot with the liquid. Add to simmering mixture and stir until thickened. Off the heat, fold in the meat/chicken, peas, corn, and parsley. Correct seasoning, adding more salt and pepper, to taste. Let cool. Filling can be made one day ahead, covered and chilled. Divide the mixture between 5 (1 1/2-cup) individual baking dishes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out the puff pastry 1/4-inch thick and cut it into 6-inch rounds. Lightly brush the tops of the rounds with some of the egg wash, being careful to not brush the edges or the pastry will not puff. Invert the rounds onto the baking dishes, pressing edges onto rims to secure. Brush tops of pastry with additional egg wash. Cut 3 small steam vents in the tops of the pastries.
• Arrange baking dishes on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until pastry is puffed and golden and filling is bubbling.
• Serve with mixed baby greens salad with red and yellow pear tomatoes.

FRUIT GEL PARFAITS

Steps:

• Layer pink cubes, green cubes and whipped cream creatively in tall skinny parfait glasses.
• Get the kids involved in measuring the liquids, squeezing the citrus, cutting the finished gel into cubes, whipping the cream, and layering the parfaits. The combination of pomegranate, lime and cream is delicious!

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.