A couple of weeks ago, I tried to make “Homemade Gummi Bears”. Well, sort of homemade gummi bears, in that they were fruit jellies. It didn’t work so well. In fact, a number of times, it was a bust. But as my mom and a number of my friends really like these sorts of candies, I made a few more attempts and eventually got them right. That is this recipe. And even with this recipe, they aren’t the easiest things in the world to make. I think that some of it may actually also be dependent on how moist the air is on any given day, because sometimes they just don’t set. If I had to give advice on these, I would tell you that practice makes perfect (or as close to perfect as I can get). Good luck!
Ingredients for the Raspberry
2 12-ounce bags frozen raspberries, thawed (4 cups)
1 1/4 cups seedless raspberry jam
1 cup sugar, plus more for coating
3 envelopes unflavored powdered gelatin (2 tablespoons)
3/4 cup cold water
Directions
Spray a fine layer of baking spray in an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Then, line with a wax paper sling that extends past the rim of the pan and spray again very lightly with baking spray.
In a food processor, puree the thawed raspberries with the raspberry jam and the 1 cup of sugar. Strain the puree into a medium saucepan. Boil the puree over moderately high heat, stirring often, until reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water in an even layer. Let stand until the gelatin softens, then heat the water in a microwave for 20 seconds, until the gelatin dissolves completely. Stir the melted gelatin into the raspberry puree, then pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare a baking sheet or a tray with another piece of wax paper (no need to grease this time). Spread about 1/2 cup of sugar in a shallow bowl. Unmold the pâte de fruit onto a work surface. Peel off and discard the wax paper. Using a sharp knife or small cookie cutters, cut the pâte into 1-inch sizes. Roll the pieces in the sugar to coat and then place on the baking sheet. Let sit on the counter for about 6-8 hours, until the pâte de fruit have dried somewhat. Repeat the sugaring process and let sit again overnight. Serve or pack up into an airtight container. Do not refrigerate. These will stay fresh for about a week, if they last that long.
Ingredients for the Meyer Lemon
2 whole meyer lemons
1 cup meyer lemon juice
1 cup lemon curd
1/2 cup sugar, plus more for coating
4 envelopes unflavored powdered gelatin (3 tablespoons)
Directions
Spray a fine layer of baking spray in an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Then, line with a wax paper sling that extends past the rim of the pan and spray again very lightly with baking spray.
In a sauce pan of boiling water cook the whole lemons for about 10 seconds. This will soften the skin, which will be used in the recipe. Cut off the ends and discard, then cut the cooked fruit into quarters. In a food processor finely chop the cut up lemons. Add the cup of juice and process until smooth. Pour and press through a mesh sieve to catch any of the bigger pieces. Add the lemon and lemon juice mixture and the sugar to a medium size sauce pot and bring to a boil, reducing to a simmer. Once it is simmering, cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Half way through, add the curd and continue to cook. Be sure to stir constantly and make sure it doesn’t boil over. You may have to adjust the temperature as you cook. Once the mixture has cooked for the full 5 minutes turn off the heat and add the gelatin. Stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Let cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare a baking sheet or a tray with another piece of wax paper (no need to grease this time). Spread about 1/2 cup of sugar in a shallow bowl. Unmold the pâte de fruit onto a work surface. Peel off and discard the wax paper. Using a sharp knife or small cookie cutters, cut the pâte into 1-inch sizes. Roll the pieces in the sugar to coat and then place on the baking sheet. Let sit on the counter for about 6-8 hours, until the pâte de fruit have dried somewhat. Repeat the sugaring process and let sit again overnight. Serve or pack up into an airtight container. Do not refrigerate. These will stay fresh for about a week, if they last that long.
