CHAMPAGNE GELéE WITH KUMQUATS, GRAPEFRUITS, AND BLOOD ORANGES

Champagne Gelée with Kumquats, Grapefruits, and Blood Oranges image

Not all gelatin desserts are squidgy, old-fashioned jelled rings studded with oversweetened canned fruits. Take this thoroughly modern dessert, for example. You'll see why it won top honors from a national food magazine that called it one of the "Top Ten Desserts of All Time."

Yield makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1/2 cup (125 ml) plus 1/2 cup (125 ml) cold water
2 envelopes (7 g each) unflavored gelatin
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 bottle (750 ml) Champagne or other sparkling wine
Juice of 1/2 lime, plus more to taste
12 kumquats
2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) water
3 pink grapefruits
4 blood or navel oranges
Soft-Candied Citrus Peel (page 253)

Steps:

To make the gelée, into a large bowl, pour 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the water. Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the water and allow it to soften and swell for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, warm the remaining 1/2 cup (125 ml) water with the 1 cup (200 g) sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Pour the warm sugar syrup over the gelatin and stir until the gelatin completely dissolves. Add the Champagne or other sparkling wine (it will foam up; hence the large bowl) and the lime juice. Taste and add additional lime juice, if desired. Cover and refrigerate until jelled, at least 6 hours.
To prepare the fruits, slice and seed the kumquats. In a small saucepan, warm the 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar and 1/2 cup (125 ml) water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add the kumquats. Let them soak in the sugar syrup for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, section, and seed the grapefruits and oranges.
To assemble, spoon some of the chilled gelée into 6 wine glasses or goblets. Add a few sections of fruit and a few strips of citrus peel. Spoon in more gelée. Continue to layer in the fruit, citrus peel, and gelée until each glass is full. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
The gelée mixture will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Assemble the dessert the day of serving.
Feel free to vary the fruit according to what's in season. In the summer, slightly sweetened peaches or nectarines are perfect, along with a few types of berries tossed in for good measure and color.
If you're in a bit of a rush, you can speed up the jelling. Divide the still-liquid gelée mixture among 6 goblets or wine glasses and chill for a couple of hours until firm. When ready to serve, top each with a mixture of the fruits and citrus peel.