It’s not just for children’s parties. Grown-ups are allowed jelly too, says Sudi Pigott

What melts in your mouth, wobbles on the plate and brings back delicious childhood memories? Jelly – that rainbow-coloured, kiddies’ treat. And it’s all set for a grown-up revival for anyone who savours light, simple, silky desserts with strong fruity overtones as an antidote to the comfort puds of winter.

Jellies have been popular since the Middle Ages when pudding delicacies included halved egg shells filled with white almond jelly and a saffron jelly yolk. Aspic jellies or ‘set’ dishes often formed the centrepiece to Elizabethan banquets while whole eggs, fish and meat were suspended in jellies made with almond milk and flavoured with spices, sugar or rosewater. With the introduction of tin-lined copper moulds in the late 18th century it became possible to create even more elaborate jellies with castellated edifices. A magnificent jelly in the form of a white cross on a red background (to represent the Alexandra Cross) was served at the 1863 wedding feast for Prince Edward (later Edward VII) to Princess Alexandra.

Contemporary jellies tend to subscribe to the ‘less is more’ motto: try a few ephemeral slivers of mango and red fruit in a white wine and elderflower jelly or seedless grapes suspended in a jelly of Beaumes de Venise (a sweet white pudding wine). A delicious way to serve jelly in winter is to take a leaf out of Delia Smith’s book (her Winter Collection, to be precise) and knock up a ginger-spiced cranberry and orange jelly. This makes a spectacularly pretty finale.

Ultra-modish milk jellies can partner exotic North African spiced salads: the 50th anniversary edition of Good Housekeeping cookbook suggests almond jelly with orange, cardamom and pomegranate salad. And here’s an idea: jellies don’t have to be desserts. A classic luxury restaurant dish is a terrine of foie gras with Sauternes jelly offsetting the richness. ‘A jelly should be delicate enough to gently implode in the mouth,’ says John Williams, maître chef de cuisine at Claridges restaurant in London, who views jellies as the ultimate palate cleanser. He serves an exquisitely light starter of jelly of langoustine with a cream of corn foam and an indulgent dollop of caviar. For dessert he might offer a passion fruit jelly with mango and papaya rolled lightly in sugar and floated on coconut vanilla cream.

At Claridges the jelly is still hand-prepared in time-honoured fashion by simmering calves’ foot for many hours and then clarifying the stock, which eventually produces a totally pure jelly. Heston Blumenthal, idiosyncratic chef of the multi-award-winning The Fat Duck, in Bray, uses jellies widely as a textural antidote to other components of a dish: pigeon jelly with pea purée and crab cream, roast scallop with caramelised purée, jelly of Oloroso sherry and cep, pomme purée with lime jelly as a pre-dessert palate cleanser, and basil blancmange with beetroot jelly as an utterly surprising petit-four.

Quince jelly, known as membrillo, a popular sweetmeat served with cheese in Spain is enjoying something of a revival in the UK and is available from good cheesemongers and delis. It’s probable that the properties of pectin (used for jam-making) were actually first discovered when cooked quinces, combined with honey and vinegar produced a solid gel. Quince preserves were popular in 16 th and 17th century England and often cast into fancy shapes for the table because they were believed to be good for digestion. The Chinese, too, have a classic jelly dessert made using agar-agar, a type of seaweed, as the setting agent. Ken Hom remembers a childhood treat of homestyle almond jelly with orange segments. Jelly is, it seems, as timeless as it is universally popular.

Next page: tips and recipe

For sensuous modern jellies follow these tips:

• Use one 12g sachet of powdered gelatine or 4 leaves of gelatine as a setting agent per 600ml liquid (you can use water, wine, fruit juice or milk).
• Add an extra half sachet or two more leaves for jelly which can be confidently turned out.
• Preparing gelatine is notoriously tricky, but as long as you sprinkle the powder or leaves over a few tbsp just-boiled water (rather than the other way round), leave it for several minutes to soften then beat it immediately, you’ll create the perfect sticky syrupy liquid.
• If the grains of gelatine won’t dissolve, place the bowl of not-yet-gelled solution in another bowl of just-boiled water bain-marie style. Leave for a few minutes then give it a good stir.
• Never boil gelatine solution or it will never set, and always add the dissolved gelatine to warm liquid or it will set into rubbery lumps. It is best to dilute the concentrated molten gelatine with just a little warmed liquid before incorporating it into the rest of the warm liquid base.
• Smear the mould with a little tasteless vegetable oil before you fill it, so the jelly turns out easily. When it is set, immerse the mould quickly in a sink slightly filled with hot water. Be careful not to let the jelly melt.

White Grape and Blueberry Jelly
Serves 4

600ml white grape juice
4 tsp powdered gelatine
110g white grapes, halved and deseeded
110g blueberries, washed

1. Put 5 tbsp fruit juice into a small saucepan. Slowly sprinkle the gelatine over, making sure it is completely absorbed by the liquid. Avoid stirring if possible. Set aside for at least 5 minutes.
2. Put the saucepan over a low heat and allow the gelatine to melt, without boiling. It should end up clear and not cloudy.
3. Heat the remaining fruit juice in a large saucepan. Stir the dissolved gelatine into the mixture and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
4. Mix the fruits together and place in a large 1 litre serving bowl. Pour the cool fruit liquid over the top. Cover and refrigerate for 3–4 hours until completely set.