Wine Jelly

A favorite in Scandinavian countries and overlooked in the United States, Wine jelly makes a stunning platter on a table set with assorted cheeses. The crystalline grapes seem disproportionately elegant to their ease of preparation.

Ingredients

• 2 cups red wine (I prefer Shiraz or Zinfandel)
• 4 whole allspice berries
• 1 three inch stick of cinnamon
• 3 cups of sugar
• 1 three ounce pouch of liquid fruit Pectin

Preparation Instructions

1. Combine the wine with the spices in a two quart saucepan. Heat the wine until it is warm. Turn off the heat and allow the wine and spices to steep for 30 minutes.
2. Add the sugar to the spiced wine and then heat to a rolling boil. Stir constantly for a minute or until the sugar is totally dissolved.
3. Add the pectin and return mixture to a rolling boil. Stir for ONE MINUTE and then pour into clean glass jars.
4. Allow the jelly to cool at room temperature before covering and refrigerating.
5. A perfect decoration for this jelly is frosted grapes.

FROSTED GRAPES

1. To frost the grapes, either rinse them under water or toss them in slightly beaten egg whites.
2. Place a few Tablespoons of sugar in a small dish and roll the moist grapes in sugar.
3. Place the sugared grapes on a plate or rack and allow the sugar to dry completely before using as an edible decoration.

Additional Notes

NOTE: This mixture will stay in the refrigerator for weeks without spoiling. It can also be frozen. Because you don’t use sterilized jars and paraffin to seal the jelly, you can not store the jelly in your pantry, it must be refrigerated or frozen. NOTE: If you are uncomfortable using raw egg whites then water will work almost as well.