Fruit Jellies

These colorful fruit jellies are simple to make and fun to eat. Try one of these flavor combinations: apple juice and apricot preserves; grape juice and jam; pomegranate juice and raspberry preserves; and strawberry-apple juice and strawberry jam.
Everyday Food, December 2010

Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes plus chilling
Yield Makes about 60 pieces

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups fruit juice (any flavor) or water
4 packets powdered gelatin (1 ounce total)
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups fruit preserves or jam

Directions

Place 2/3 cup juice in a small bowl or measuring cup and sprinkle with gelatin. Let sit 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine remaining 2/3 cup juice and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 5 minutes. Add preserves and whisk to combine. Return to a boil and cook until thick and syrupy, 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and whisk until gelatin dissolves. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8-inch square baking dish. Refrigerate until set, 3 hours (or up to 2 weeks).
Place remaining 1 cup sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Cut fruit jelly into 1-inch squares. Toss in sugar to coat just before serving.

Citric acid and flavored oils and extracts are available at baking-supply stores.
Martha Stewart Living, December/January 1995/1996

Yield Makes 85 to 90
Ingredients

Apricot Jelly Flavoring

Spoiler:

Cranberry Jelly Flavoring

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Fig Jelly Flavoring

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Grape Jelly Flavoring

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Pineapple Jelly Flavoring

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Rose Jelly Flavoring

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2 ounces gelatin (plus 1 more ounce if making pineapple jellies)
2 cups water
4 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon citric acid
1 cup superfine or confectioners' sugar
Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions

Spray two 8-inch square pans with vegetable-oil spray. Prepare flavoring.
In a 6-quart saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 2 cups water; let gelatin soften for about 3 minutes. Add granulated sugar and citric acid. Heat slowly over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until sugar has dissolved, about 10 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals.
Increase heat to high; bring gelatin to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and boil gelatin, without stirring, 15 minutes. The syrup needs to be watched while it boils; if it starts to turn dark tan before the 15 minutes, it is ready. Remove from heat.
Let stand for 5 minutes while bubbles dissipate; some white foam will remain. Whisk in flavoring. Without scraping pot, pour evenly into prepared pans. Let stand, uncovered, for 24 hours. Unmold, cut into 1-inch squares or other desired shapes; roll in superfine or confectioners' sugar, and serve.