Boston

Champagne jelly

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The other day I had leftover prosecco in the fridge. Is there anything worse? When seen at the crack of dawn, light streaming into your refrigerator as you hunt for the milk, you know it’s already ruined. I had cheerfully popped the bottle the night before for a friend, we didn’t finish it before she left, and I certainly wasn’t going to donate a morning’s headache just for the sake of finishing it. Had it been good champagne, yes, certainly, but just-fine prosecco? No thank you.

So I made this champagne jelly, an idea first whispered in my ear by Ottolenghi. His recipe is for a full bottle, but, when adjusted, it’s perfect for using up the last cup of so if you have some in the fridge. You boil most of the alcohol with some saffron ( for color), but then add a little in at the end for flavor. So yes, if you share it with children they taste real alcohol. Good on them. 

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It has a strong champagne flavor, looks pretty in flutes, and would do well with some sweetened whipped cream on top.

Oh, and it wasn’t a hit at all…:

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Champagne Jelly by Ottolenghi

+ 1 cup leftover prosecco/cava/champagne

+ saffron threads

+ 1/4 cup water

+ 1 gelatin envelope

Pour about half of however much leftover champagne you have into a pan. I poured in half a cup, and added a quarter cup of water. Bring that to a boil with few saffron threads and then removed from heat. Strain out the threads. Follow the instructions on your gelatin packet–mine advised sprinkling gelatin over the remaining champagne, pouring the hot liquid on top of that, and then stirring for about five minutes. Mine filled three flutes.

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