We recently had some friends around for a few drinks so we thought we would try to make a cocktail with a difference; something playful like, that everyone could enjoy. Jelly vodkas and other jelly spirits are an often popular alcoholic beverage for parties and occasions when friends or family call round. With some bottles of champagne still in our wine rack from our engagement, we decided to finally put one bottle to good use and make our own champagne jelly to treat our guests. Our choice of fruit to accompany this; well there could only be one piece of fruit to put with champagne – strawberries. So let’s get started and make a tasty cocktail you’ll enjoy serving up for guests. This recipe also sets much quicker than other champagne jelly recipes you may have tried out before.
Ingredients:
- 75cl (750ml) bottle champagne (sparkling wine or prosecco can substitute)
- 8 sheets of leaf gelatine
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 100g (3 1/2oz) caster sugar
- 8 – 10 medium – large strawberries
Serves 6 – 8 champagne flutes
1. Prepare the gelatine:
Place the gelatine sheets into a shallow bowl and cover with cold water. Allow this to soak for 5 – 10 minutes.
2. Prepare your strawberries:
Cut the strawberries into small cm square pieces and leave aside.
3. Start on your champagne jelly:
Pour 150ml of the champagne into a pan and add the lemon juice and cater sugar. Heat this gently and stir often to help dissolve the sugar.
Remove the gelatine from the cold water and squeeze out the excess water. Add this to the warm champagne mix, and whisk thoroughly to dissolve. Pour this mixture into a large jug and allow the mix to cool slightly (2 – 3 mins). Add the remaining champagne and allow the whole mixture to cool until the jelly is almost at a set texture, but still pourable.
4. Assemble the strawberry champagne jelly:
Divide the strawberry pieces evenly among the champagne flutes. Carefully pour the jelly mixture into the flutes, ensuring they are all filled equally. Place the flutes in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Ensure the jelly has set before serving. This should take around 40 – 60 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
These jelly champagnes can be prepared a day in advance and are best consumed within 48 hours. You can also try experimenting with different fruits and make the most of those that are fresh and in season. If you are feeling really creative, make your very own fruit coulis to layer on top.
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