We had a mini break to Dorset a few weeks ago and found ourselves in West Bay, the setting of the tv series Broadchurch. I must confess that I've never watched it but it has apparently put West Bay on the map and it's now become a little tourist mecca for the Jurassic coast. Incidentally we had a fab lunch at the Watch House Cafe on the beach there which I would totally recommend to anyone planning a visit there -- the boys and I had pizzas which were delicious. But I digress. We found a cute little market there, The Customs House, which sold lots of vintage treasures. I came away with a few bits including six mini jelly moulds.
So I wanted to make a jelly that encompasses summer and alfresco dinners and sipping cocktails with friends. One that would totally earn its place at a dinner party and I'm thinking that this little jelly could easily work as a sorbet-esque course to refresh the pallet. And I'm sort of obsessed by bellinis at the moment. I can often be found in the kitchen blitzing and sieving peach puree lately to indulge my cravings!
This simple Bellini Jelly was born. It's very simple, just needing a little time to set. Made from prosecco and peach juice, set with gelatine and encasing fresh peach slices and mint leaves. Perfect for summer evenings and so cute. The only challenge is trying to rescue them from the kids who absolutely adore jelly and can't fathom why I would made six little pots of their favourite pud and refuse to let them eat it.
I love them as mini individual servings because of the beautiful shape of the jelly moulds and being able to see the peaches and mint leaves inside them. But you could also make one giant jelly instead if you don't have individual moulds -- you would lose some of the effect of the mini ones, but it would be equally delicious!!
Bellini Jellies
Makes 6 individual jellies
Ingredients
- 4 GELATINE LEAVES
- 150ML PROSECCO
- 450ML PEACH JUICE
- 1 PEACH
- 12 MINT LEAVES
- LIGHT OIL TO GREASE THE JELLY MOULDS (I used grapeseed oil)
My jelly moulds are 100ml and this recipe makes a little over 600ml of jelly (100ml per serving) so factor the ingredients up or down depending on the size or number of moulds you have
Method
- Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes
- Meanwhile slice the peach thinly and put to one side
- Lightly grease your jelly moulds (I used grapeseed oil but any light oil will work)
- Mix the prosecco and peach juice into a jug
- Place half of the mixture in a small saucepan and heat until warm (the mixture should steam but not boil) and then remove from the heat
- Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine, add it to the saucepan and stir until fully dissolved
- Pour this back into the jug
- Place the moulds on a tray and layer a couple of peach slices and mint leaves in each one
- Gently fill each mould to the brim with the jelly mixture
- Place them in the fridge for 4-5 hours until they're set
- When you're ready to serve them, fill a mug with hot water
- Lightly dip the top of the mould into the mug (mould side into the water)
- Turn it over and let it slide out gently onto your plate
- They can be quite tricky to move once on a plate so either be very careful placing them on your plate as you want to serve them or pop them back into the fridge to chill
- Beautiful as they are, you could also serve them fruit on the side (raspberries work particularly well) :)