Quince & Kiwi Jelly

Usually when I talk jelly, I'm talking the stuff you make in a jar and use for a glaze or on toast.

This time, I'm talking that wobbly childhood delight.

Except, you know, because this is Kat's recipe, it's gelatin-free and way more healthy than your average box of jello.

To replace the gelatin, we used one stick of agar-agar. If you don't know what agar-agar is, it's a clear seaweed derivative used in Japanese (and other Asian, I imagine) cooking. Please don't be freaked out by the name or the word seaweed. It's just like gelatin, in that it's totally tasteless.

Two sticks of agar-agar

 It sets the jelly a bit more firmly, I find. And, as I used to love the mandarin jellies I'd buy from conbinis in Japan, I was really excited to use this ingredient.

Even more exciting though was Kat's find of a pile of unloved quinces at the St. Lawrence market. She peeled and poached them, which meant they didn't turn pink (as quinces tend to do), but that's okay! I really enjoyed playing around with this recipe... and I think there's a TON of room for taking this to a whole new level of awesome.

poached quinces

 I loved taking photos of the jellies - they were just so luminous!

Quince & Kiwi Jelly

Ingredients

2½ cups fruit juice of your choice (think pure, and think pulpless - pomegranate, cranberry-kiwi, guava)
1 tsp Agar Agar powder (or one stick of agar-agar, ground up)
1-2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
2 cups chopped poached quinces
5 kiwis, peeled and finely chopped.

Directions

1. Divide fruit between 6 mini bundt pans or dessert dishes. If you're planning to unmould the jellies, I recommend spraying the pans with cooking spray.

2. Place 1 cup of juice in a pot with agar powder and stir. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes to dissolve. Turn the heat on and bring the mixture to a boil. for 1 minute

3. Remove the pan from heat and pour the mixture into a bowl or large measuring cup. Add the remaining 1½ cups juice and stir. If your juice is a bit tart, add the maple syrup here.

4. Pour into pan/dishes and allow to cool for 10 minutes at room temperature before moving contents to the fridge to set for another 30-40 minutes.

5. Unmould by flipping pan onto a large cutting board. Serve with a side of whimsy.