Many of us first associate the word ‘jelly’ with those high moulded puddings, in bright shimmering colours, served at children’s birthday parties, but popular sweets such as Turkish delight are jellies, too, and other types of table jellies can be clear or opaque.
Jelly (sweet): Popular sweets such as Marshmallows, fruit jellies, jujubes and Turkish Delight come into this category. These are based on a sugar syrup which is stiffened by adding gelatine, gum Arabic, cornflour (cornstarch) or arrowroot, and reduced by boiling.
Jelly (table): A sweet mixture to which a setting agent such as gelatine is added to give a set firm enough to hold its shape when unmoulded. For savoury dishes, an aspic jelly is often used. Vegetable juices, tomatoes, cooked vegetables or seafoods are often set in jelly form.
There are three main types of table jelly – clear, whipped, and made with milk, cream and egg.
Clear jellies: Transparent jellies of good colour, made from fruit juices or commercial jelly crystals. These are usually set in moulds and turned out to serve, or set in glass dishes. A striking effect can be achieved by setting fruit in layers in the jelly.
Whipped jellies or jelly whips: The jellies are whipped when they are just on the point of setting, and resemble the consistency of unbeaten egg white.
Milk, cream and egg jellies: Milk, custards and creams set with gelatine. Some classic desserts such as Bavarian Cream come into this category.
To unmould jellies: See Gelatine.