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Jellied Fruit
Soak 2 ounces of gelatine in a cup of cold water. Boil a cup and a half each of sugar and cider, and the rind of 1 lemon, for ten minutes; pour the syrup over the gelatine. Put layer sliced peaches and pears and blanched almonds in the mould; fill with the syrup; chill; garnish with whipped cream.
A turn-of-the-century moulded fruit jelly set with sheet or granulated gelatine and flavoured with sweet cider. The proportions here reflect older gelatine, which was far weaker than the modern product.
- Gelatine strengthTwo ounces of gelatine is a great deal by modern standards. The liquid here is about 2½ cups (1 cup cold water plus 1½ cups cider, reduced somewhat by the ten minutes' boiling). Modern powdered gelatine will set that firmly enough to turn out at roughly ½ to 1 ounce (two to four ¼-oz envelopes); the full 2 ounces of a modern brand is likely to give a rubbery, sliceable block.
- Bloom the gelatine firstThe cold-water soak is not optional. Sprinkle the gelatine over the cup of cold water and leave it 5-10 minutes until it swells and goes opaque, then pour the hot syrup over and stir until no grains remain. Gelatine dropped straight into hot liquid clumps and never fully dissolves.
- CiderThis means unfermented sweet apple cider, not the alcoholic drink sold under that name in Britain and Australia. Cloudy apple juice is the nearest substitute; hard cider will work but shifts the balance and needs less sugar.
- SugarA cup and a half of sugar to a cup and a half of cider is very sweet by current taste. Three-quarters of a cup is closer to modern palates, and reducing it should not stop the jelly setting.
- Lemon rindPare it in wide strips with a vegetable peeler and take no white pith. Strain the strips out with the rind before the syrup goes over the gelatine, or the mould will hold stray peel.
- Building the mouldSet a shallow layer of syrup first and chill until tacky, then arrange the fruit and almonds and add the rest in stages. Poured all at once, sliced pears and peaches float to the top and the almonds sink.
- Fresh pineapple, kiwi and papayaNot in the original, but worth knowing: their enzymes break gelatine down and the jelly will not set. Canned pineapple is heat-treated and safe.
- Chilling and yieldAllow at least 4 hours, and overnight is better for a mould this size. Roughly 1 quart, serving 6 to 8. To turn it out, dip the mould briefly in hot water and invert onto a wetted plate.