I’m not sure what it is about jelly or Jello. By this, I’m referring to clear fruit juice that is set to a wobbly, jiggly consistency, often associated with hospitals. I love them! It is one of those desserts that, when homemade, I cannot get enough of. Admittedly, as a kid, I also loved the ones that came from a pack – just add boiling water, pour into a mould, place in the fridge, and then proceed to open the fridge door countless times over the next 4–6 hours to check if they have set! Admittedly, I still do that today.

Though I have given you two options for flavours, feel free to play around with whatever fruit juice you have at home. As long as you stick to the proportions of 500 ml liquid to 1 tablespoon gelatine powder, you have a great base for loads of different flavours.

TIP: Jellies are my go-to Pesach dessert. They need to be made ahead of time and can be grabbed from the fridge (once set) at any time – which is really what you need on Pesach: loads of things for people to grab!

For Orange Jelly:

INGREDIENTS:

• 60 ml (¼ cup) water
• 1 tablespoon powdered kosher gelatine
• 500 ml (2 very full cups) fresh squeezed Orange Juice (in the picture I used blood oranges as they were in season)
• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• Slices of segmented orange (optional)

METHOD:

1. Soften the gelatine: In a small bowl, stir the gelatine into the cold water and let it sit until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Heat the juice and sugar: While the gelatine softens, place the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar has fully dissolved.
3. Combine and simmer: Add the softened gelatine-water mixture to the orange juice. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 minute.
4. Chill the jelly: Divide the jelly between cups or into a single mould. Place in the fridge for about 4–6 hours (depending on the size of your mould) or until set.
5. Serve: Garnish with slices of segmented orange, if using.

For Mango Lychee Jelly:

INGREDIENTS:

• 400g (14oz) tin lychees
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons powdered gelatine (Lieber’s or BaKol brands)
• 600ml (2.5 cups) mango juice
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• To serve: fresh mango, limes, and reserved lychees

METHOD:

1. Prep the lychees: Drain the lychees, reserving the juice. Place the lychees in a bowl, squeeze the juice of half a lime (about 1 tablespoon) over them, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Soften the gelatine: In a small bowl, stir the gelatine into 60 ml (¼ cup) mango juice and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Make the juice base: Place the remaining mango juice, 120 ml (½ cup) reserved lychee juice, and the sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil.
4. Add the gelatine: Stir in the softened gelatine and return to a boil. Once it begins boiling, remove from the heat.
5. Balance the flavours: Adjust tartness or sweetness with the juice of the remaining limes, to taste.
6. Chill the jelly: Divide the jelly between cups or into a single mould. Chill in the fridge for 4–6 hours until set.
7. Serve: Top with reserved lychees and fresh fruit. Offer each person a lime wedge to squeeze over their jelly and fruit.

MAKE AHEAD:

Jellies can be made up to five days ahead of serving. Store in the fridge. If possible, loosely cover to prevent absorption of fridge odours.