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Wine Jelly

Source of Recipe

"The America's Test Kitchen Do-It-Yourself Cookbook"


Recipe Introduction

"I don't know if the American Psychiatric Association has a list of personality traits for first-born children, but if they do, I'm sure 'entitled' would be near the top. My 'what's yours is mine' instinct has led me to appropriate a Miss Piggy doll from my sister, bracelets from my mom, a toothbrush from a college roommate (not my proudest moment), and anything on my husband's plate or in his glass. My commandeering knows no bounds. Case in point: The canning set my father-in-law received for his birthday last year now resides in my kitchen closet. Truth be told, he gave it to me after I spent hours in his kitchen pickling vegetables, sealing sour cherries in liqueur, and infusing batches of strawberry jam with lavender. You know you have a canning addiction when you hope that an oncoming hurricane will knock out your power, just so you'll have an excuse to spend a day putting things in jars. Spring and summer are the prime seasons for canners, but I've figured out how to get my fix during the off-months with recipes like wine jelly. It only requires the most basic ingredients: sugar, pectin, lemon juice, and wine. Making wine jelly is also a great way to turn a cheap bottle (I prefer Merlot) into a luxuriant treat. (Of course if you are willing to sacrifice a nicer bottle, it will only improve the jelly's taste.) It brings an elegant yet personal touch to any cheese board. My next few jars of wine jelly are earmarked as 'sorry I stole your Muppet,' 'sorry I raided your jewelry box,' 'sorry I used your toothbrush,' and 'sorry I continue to violate your personal table space.' Even if Hallmark had turned those sentiments into cards, something tells me wine jelly says it better."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 (750-ml) bottled red wine
â—¦ 3 ¼ cups sugar
â—¦ 1 (3-ounce) envelope liquid pectin
â—¦ 3 tablespoons lemon juice
â—¦ â…› teaspoon butter


Recipe

Bring 1 ¼ cups wine to boil in small saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook until reduced to â…“ cup, 15 to 20 minutes; set aside.

Bring remaining wine and sugar to boil in large saucepan, stirring frequently. Stir in pectin, lemon juice, and butter, and return to vigorous boil, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in reserved reduced wine.

Transfer jelly to jars with tight-fitting lids, let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate. Let jelly set for 12 to 24 hours. Jelly can be refrigerated for at least 2 months.

To process for long-term storage:
Transfer jelly, while still hot, to hot, sterilized 1-cup jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace at top. Process for 5 minutes, adjusting for altitude if necessary. Store in cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

Makes about four 1-cup jars