Champagne Jelly Bites
New Year’s celebrations are synonymous with champagne. Whether it’s Dom Perignon or an entry level prosecco, everything feels a little lighter and joyous with a glass of bubbly. Even the gay dance clubs I frequented during my late teens passed out sparkling wine as the clock neared twelve. It doesn’t matter who you are: when midnight strikes, you’re holding a carbonated glass of alcohol. Don’t worry, I’m sure that my dancing inflicted more damage than those watered down red cups of Korbel.
To commemorate ringing out the old year (bye 2020!) and ringing in 2021, these Champagne Jelly Bites are just enough of old-meets-new and add a sparkle to your bar spread on December 31st.
I made two batches: one was poured into a silicone candy mold and shallow soy sauce dishes, and the other was poured into a sheet pan lined with foil and then cut down into bite-sized pieces. Edible glitter can be applied to the surface of your container before pouring in your hot gelatin. Heavier items like sprinkles can be applied after the gelatin is set because the surface is still slightly tacky enough for the sprinkles to adhere to the top.
One batch calls for 3 envelopes of gelatin which is approximately 7.5 tablespoons or 21 grams for anyone measuring from a larger container. The vodka is a different proof than sparkling wine and definitely sneaks up on you- if you choose to make these even stronger, you’ve been warned!
To release the Champagne Jelly Bites from the mold, I poured very hot water into a tall sided baking pan so that when I placed my molds on the pan, the hot water covered the bottom without spilling onto the top and touching the gelatine. This helps release the jelly and prevents tearing. I used this same technique for the small china sauce dishes I used as molds: I poured very hot water into a larger bowl and then dipped the ‘mold’ into the larger bowl so that the bottom was submerged but the water did not pour over the top.If they aren’t easily popping out of your mold after about a minute, take a paring knife and carefully pry around the edge of your gelatin to loosen it from your mold.
If you made your gelatine in a lined baking pan, it’s even easier: remove the liner from the pan and quickly transfer the entire sheet onto a cutting board. Use a knife that is long enough to cut through the entire length in just 1-2 strokes and run it under hot water for about 30 seconds.
Dry the knife and cut off the ragged edges so you have clean, even lines. As you make a grid with your vertical cuts and then your horizontal cuts, pause to run your knife under hot water to remove any gelatin that is stuck to your knife. Dry your knife each time before resuming slicing. Starting with a corner piece, your Champagne Jelly Bites should release easily from the liner. And if that first one tears a bit, you know my rule: the chef always gets the first bite!
FoodFam, it’s been a wild year and I feel so lucky to be sharing this and so many more recipes, adventures and TSP tips in 2021! Happy New Year!
