Homemade Apple and Apricot Gummies
Fruit jelly squares made with apple juice and apricot jam, rolled in sugar just before serving. They cost far less than store-bought candy and make a nice addition to a party dessert table, or a gift in little bags for friends at Halloween: set them in pumpkin- or bat-shaped molds instead of cutting squares and they get the seasonal touch. The texture is tender, closer to a French pâte de fruit than a chewy gummy, so keep them somewhere cool or in the fridge. You can swap the juice and jam for other fruits.
Ingredients
- 450 ml apple juice
- 28 g unflavored powdered gelatin (4 envelopes of 7 g)
- 400 g sugar
- 500 g apricot jam
- Neutral oil, for the pan
Method
- 1
Put half of the apple juice in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it so it is fully submerged. Let it bloom for 10 minutes.
- 2
Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the rest of the juice to a boil with 200 g of the sugar, stirring, and boil for 5-6 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Add the jam and return to a boil for 3-4 minutes, until you have a thick syrup.
- 3
Take the pan off the heat and add the bloomed gelatin, stirring until it dissolves completely. The gelatin goes in off the heat: if it boils, it loses strength and the gummies won't set properly.
- 4
Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a lightly oiled 25 × 17 cm pan, or into shaped molds. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, until firm.
- 5
Spread the remaining sugar on a tray. Unmold, cut the jelly into 30 squares and lift them out with a spatula. Roll them in the sugar just before serving: sugared too far ahead, the sugar gets damp.
- 6
Store in an airtight container somewhere cool or in the fridge for up to 5 days.