Kitchen Jam

Image by adman_as via Flickr

Traveling around the ‘net, I found at www.cdkitchen.com, a recipe for Pink Champagne Jelly (Recipe ID 5806.)

But after looking at it, I put it aside because the directions were rather complicated: 1) several steps in the microwave (!) and 2) using sterilized cocktail forks to suspend in the jars of cooked jelly a sprig of tarragon (double !) I’m not a huge fan of using one appliance to do something another appliance does more efficiently. I’m even less of a fan of using extra equipment (sterilzed cocktail forks – oh no way!)

Still, the recipe held the guts of a jelly that truly understands kitchen improv. So this morning, I uncorked a half-bottle of leftover champagne (hey, I’m just one person!) and took another look at this recipe. This time, I focused on the autumn harvest spices, lost the complex steps and viola – a wonderful way to ring in 2010. Happy New Year!

Spiced Champagne Jelly

2 3/4 cups pink champagne (can also use sparkling wine: rose, blush or white)
1 box powdered fruit pectin
1 cinnamon stick, about 4 inches long
3 whole cloves
3 1/2 cups sugar

• Combine the champagne or wine, pectin, cinnamon stick and cloves in a jam-sized saucepan (4-6 quart.)
• Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Boil 1 minute.
• After champagne mixture has boiled for 1 minute, remove the cloves (leave the cinnamon stick in the mixture.)
• Gradually stir in the sugar until blended.
• Return the champagne-sugar mixture to a boil, stirring carefully to prevent boil over.
• Boil hard 1 minute (a boil that can’t be stirred down.)
• Skim any foam from the top, and remove the cinnamon stick from the jelly.
• Pour into hot sterilized 1/2 pint jars and tighten the caps. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes, or according to the directions provided by the USDA for hot water bath canning.

Makes 5 cups of jelly.