Wonderful Wine Gummies
Have you ever opened up a bottle of wine or champagne and you didn’t drink all of it? Believe it or not this Lifestylist has, especially Champagne. I hate to waste things so I have been looking for some great solutions on how to use these that might not be optimum for drinking, but still have a lot of taste and bubbles left in them.
A few years ago I discovered Champagne gummies on a visit to the Oakville Grocery in Napa. These were so yummy, and they weren’t super sweet - they truly tasted like the champagne that they were made with.
On a recent visit to Napa, the Signature Kitchen Suite Design Council was invited to a beautiful afternoon at the home of the founders and winemakers for Gentleman Farmer Wines. Their philosophy is “The gentleman’s farm, an idealized farmstead, designed for personal pleasure and satisfaction. It kindles a way of living. It rouses our thinking on winemaking.”
What a memorable afternoon enjoying treats made by Joe in their kitchen, Jeff pouring the perfect wine pairings for us, a fire roaring in their fireplace, and the Polish roosters and hens enjoying a beautiful Napa day outside. One of the treats that Joe shared with us was Gummy treats made with their wines while we were toasting homemade marshmallows in the fireplace - the perfect ending to a perfect day.
I have been playing with different recipes, and have come up with this one which is the sweetness and consistency that I prefer. These are great to keep in the fridge for special days, or they also are a wonderful garnish for desserts, cocktails, and a glass of Rosé. Silicone molds and a good, candy-sized dropper are a must. We found the ones we are using at Michaels, but Amazon has a wonderful variety as well.
Ingredients:
1 cup wine or champagne
1/4 cup sugar
3 envelopes unflavored gelatin
Equipment:
Small saucepan
whisk
eyedropper or dropper made for candy making (it is larger and holds more liquid)
silicone candy molds -be sure that they are food safe and made for candy making
Directions:
Add 1/2 cup of your wine to the gelatin. Stir and put aside until the gelatin “blooms” or softens - usually about five minutes.
Put the other 1/2 cup into your small saucepan over low heat and add sugar. Simmer until the liquid is about 1/2 of its original volume.
Add your gelatin and wine mixture to this while still over your low heat and stir until the gelatin is completely melted, and the mixture thickens slightly.
Remove from heat, and using your dropper carefully fill your molds with the mixture. We prefer just the natural color of the wines, but you can also add food coloring to the mixture if you would like the colors to be more intense before putting them into the molds.
Refrigerate until they are firm enough to easily remove from the molds - at least 30 minutes.
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use for up to one week.
LifeStyled