For an alcohol-free version, replace the sparkling wine with sparkling apple, white grape or pear juice. If you cannot find gelatine leaves, substitute the 6 leaves with 12g powdered gelatine and prepare according to packet instructions.
Recipe by Illanique van Aswegen
Photograph by Adel Ferreira
Berry and sparkling wine jelly with caramel custard
Ingredients
JELLY
- 120g blueberries
- 100g raspberries
- 100g gooseberries
- 120g strawberries, halved
- 6 gelatine leaves or 12g powdered gelatine
- 500ml (2 cups) sweet sparkling wine
- 5ml (1 tsp) castor sugar
CUSTARD
- 250ml (1 cup) milk
- 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 100g (½ cup) sugar
- seeds from ½ vanilla pod
- 45ml (3 tbsp) treacle sugar
- 20g (2 tbsp) butter
- 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh cream
Instructions
For the jelly, line a jelly mould with plastic wrap or spray the mould with cooking spray. Toss the berries together and place in the mould.
Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes.
Heat the wine and castor sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Squeeze the softened gelatine leaves to remove most of the water and then drop them into the warm wine mixture. Whisk to ensure the leaves dissolve completely. Pour the mixture over the berries in the mould and place in the fridge to set for at least 5 hours or overnight.
For the custard, heat the milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and vanilla together in a mixing bowl. Add the warm milk mixture and whisk to combine. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and heat over very low heat. It should not boil. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens and is able to coat the back of the spoon, about 8 – 10 minutes.
To make the caramel flavouring for the custard, heat the treacle sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until melted, 2 – 3 minutes. Add the cream and allow it to bubble away for a minute.
Allow the custard and caramel sauce to cool to room temperature before whisking the two together. The custard can be served warm or cold.
To unmould the jelly, place it on a serving plate. Remove the mould and gently peel off the plastic wrap. If you’re not using plastic, then lightly dip the mould in hot water for 2 – 3 seconds, ensuring that the water doesn’t spill on the jelly. This will lightly melt the outside of the jelly and allow it to slip out of the mould when turned over.
