Sparkling Shiraz jelly with frosted grapes recipe

An elegant dinner party dessert made with sparkling Shiraz wine. It's easy to make and you'll impress your guests!

Ingredients

For the jelly

• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• Pared rind and juice of 1 lemon
• 8 sheets gelatine
• 75cl bottle sparkling shiraz wine

For the decoration

• 1 medium egg white, lightly beaten
• Few red or black grapes, broken into small bunches
• Caster sugar
• 6-8 individual serving glasses

Method

1. To make the jelly, pour 450ml (¾ pint) water into a saucepan and add the sugar and lemon rind. Place the pan over a low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. Boil the syrup rapidly for 2-3 mins, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to infuse for about 10-15 mins.
2. Place the gelatine sheets in a bowl and cover them with cold water and leave them until they have softened.
3. Strain the warm lemon syrup into a bowl. Pour the lemon juice, through a strainer, into the syrup. Lift the bloomed gelatine out of the water, squeezing out any excess water, and add gelatine to the warm syrup. Stir until the gelatine dissolves. If the syrup is too cool, you might need to warm it slightly. Leave the syrup until it starts to thicken and is on the point of setting, then pour in the sparkling shiraz wine. Pour the jelly into the serving glasses, and spoon any froth on top of them. Place the jellies in the fridge to set.
4. To frost the grapes for decoration, brush a little egg white over the lower half of each grape and sprinkle over some caster sugar. Place the grapes on a sheet of baking parchment until they are dry. Arrange the grapes on the jellies just before serving.