Product Reviews

  • Create a Jelly

    5 October, 2009

    Create-a-JellyRecently I was sent a couple of packets of the new Create-A-Jelly fromthe Aeroplane Jelly company to trial. I love jelly and do make itregularly as a component of other recipes such as trifle, jelly topped pannacotta's, or as jelly shot starters for parties laced with vodka. But I was keen to try the create a jellies to see if the flavour of the drink I added really was apparent.

    Let me explain the premise behind them so you'll understand what Imean. Create-a-Jelly is basically a flavourless jelly base that allowsyou to control the flavour by adding your favourite drink rather thanjust adding water as the traditional jellies require.

    You can use any favourite drink such as cordials, soft drinks or even sports drinks. You can also add alcohol and make the jelly shots I mentioned earlier.

    So, I did a little experimenting and broke my 2 packets into 4 and made4 different varieties. I wanted to see how strongly the flavour of theadded drink imbued the jelly.

    Here's what I made…

    Firstly let me say, they all worked. The jelly maintained its firmwobbliness and took on the colour of the added drink/juice. In terms oftaking on the flavour, I was quite surprised to report they all did,however I found the white wine lost a bit of the fruitiness and freshness, but I suspect that might be due to the amount of sugar in the jelly (we'll get tot hat shortly).

    The diet coke was surprisingly like the real thing, however, again with the amount fo sugar in the jelly pack, it sort of defeated the purpose, you might as well have put real coke in there.

    The orange juice was delicious and I imagine this would be just as good with any freshly squeezed juice, cer4tainly citrus anyway, I'd have to experiment with others.

    But the cosmopolitan will now replace my traditional jelly shots at the beginning of my parties. It was fabulous.

    Now, we know they all work, but I do have one concern. The carbohydrate and sugarcontent of the jelly packet. It's ridiculously high. Now, admittedly,if you're just having one or two jelly shots, that might be OK, or alittle bit of the jelly on top of a dessert or mixed with other ingredients,but for children, who might be quite likely to sit and eat their entirecreation, I'd be seriously sending out warning signals.

    Each packet of jelly in it's 85g contents contains 158.4g of carbohydrates and sugar combined. Made up using 450g of water and your favourite drink, that's a lot of sugarper serve. Plus, if you're adding a sugary drink to it, that tips thecarb content to more than you'd need in a week, maybe even 2. So fromthat perspective, I'd be using it very sparingly.

    For the odd occasion when the jelly was to be mixed in with other ingredients,might be OK. To allow the kids or anyone to have fun with and make upusing their favourite drinks then eat all their own jelly, I don'tthink so.

    If you like the concept, I'd suggest you show the kids how to make jelly from gelatine using fresh squeezed juices rather then soft drinks, without added sugar and they'll get the same result. Find out how HERE.


First Principles Cookbook