Now, of course, after seeing this recipe, I had a few concerns: 1) how could I replicate the flavoring-and-coloring aspect of Jell-O without using it? 2) is the raw egg really necessary? and 3) would this all be worth it? I mean, how much exactly could gelatin and some flavoring add to grapes?
To tackle the first point, I decided to make two batches of frosted grapes, the first with "coloring" (in the form of red sugar crystals mixed in with granulated sugar and the gelatin), and the second without, using only granulated sugar and gelatin. As far as adding a flavoring agent goes, I decided to mix about a teaspoon of lemon extract in with the egg white to avoid dissolving the sugar, since lemon was the only flavor I had around that seemed like it would go with grapes. The quantities of all these ingredients are really going to depend on how many grapes you need to frost. In my case, I made around a pound and two teaspoons of gelatin and a couple of tablespoons of total sugar was way too much.
After several minutes of deliberation, I went ahead and used raw egg white. Though we live in an age of intense scrutiny over food safety issues, raw eggs have been eaten forever, and I wasn't about to let a petty little issue like salmonella deter me from accurately recreating vintage Jell-O goodness.
Other than the aforementioned ingredient substitutions, I made the recipe as written, and as I was getting the grape clusters sprinkled, I immediately noticed a few things. For one, when I mixed in the lemon extract with the egg white, whitish streaks appeared in the egg. I think acid cooks eggs a little bit. This didn't end up affecting the end product, but I
Now, of course, after seeing this recipe, I had a few concerns: 1) how could I replicate the flavoring-and-coloring aspect of Jell-O without using it? 2) is the raw egg really necessary? and 3) would this all be worth it? I mean, how much exactly could gelatin and some flavoring add to grapes?
To tackle the first point, I decided to make two batches of frosted grapes, the first with "coloring" (in the form of red sugar crystals mixed in with granulated sugar and the gelatin), and the second without, using only granulated sugar and gelatin. As far as adding a flavoring agent goes, I decided to mix about a teaspoon of lemon extract in with the egg white to avoid dissolving the sugar, since lemon was the only flavor I had around that seemed like it would go with grapes. The quantities of all these ingredients are really going to depend on how many grapes you need to frost. In my case, I made around a pound and two teaspoons of gelatin and a couple of tablespoons of total sugar was way too much.
After several minutes of deliberation, I went ahead and used raw egg white. Though we live in an age of intense scrutiny over food safety issues, raw eggs have been eaten forever, and I wasn't about to let a petty little issue like salmonella deter me from accurately recreating vintage Jell-O goodness.
Other than the aforementioned ingredient substitutions, I made the recipe as written, and as I was getting the grape clusters sprinkled, I immediately noticed a few things. For one, when I mixed in the lemon extract with the egg white, whitish streaks appeared in the egg. I think acid cooks eggs a little bit. This didn't end up affecting the end product, but I was careful not to get any of that part of the egg white on the grapes. I recommend using a flavor extract that is not terribly acidic. Almond, rum, or vanilla extracts might be preferable, for example.
Secondly, I noticed that it's fairly difficult to sprinkle the sugar-gelatin coating on evenly, especially with the larger sugar crystals. Even if you don't allow the excess egg white to drain off much, it's tough to get it all to stick to the grapes. I definitely recommend setting a side a good chunk of time to get this step done, especially if you are making a larger batch. Also, in regards to the stickiness of the grapes, I highly recommend using egg white instead of water, like some similar recipes recommend--after the grapes dry, they need the adhesive nature of the egg to keep it all together.
Finally, after letting the grapes dry in the refrigerator all afternoon, the frosted grapes were nice and frosty.
was careful not to get any of that part of the egg white on the grapes. I recommend using a flavor extract that is not terribly acidic. Almond, rum, or vanilla extracts might be preferable, for example.
Secondly, I noticed that it's fairly difficult to sprinkle the sugar-gelatin coating on evenly, especially with the larger sugar crystals. Even if you don't allow the excess egg white to drain off much, it's tough to get it all to stick to the grapes. I definitely recommend setting a side a good chunk of time to get this step done, especially if you are making a larger batch. Also, in regards to the stickiness of the grapes, I highly recommend using egg white instead of water, like some similar recipes recommend--after the grapes dry, they need the adhesive nature of the egg to keep it all together.
Finally, after letting the grapes dry in the refrigerator all afternoon, the frosted grapes were nice and frosty.
And I think they turned out nicely! I love the way they look like grapes left out during a frost (maybe that should have been obvious, but hey), except not all shriveled. You can see in this photo that some of the clusters are only white and some are white and red. I think the pure white ones turned out much prettier. Maybe it would be more effective to use the neon-hued Jell-O for these if you were serving them to a teenager's slumber party, but otherwise I can't imagine Technicolor Frosted Grapes yielding the same effect.
In this picture you can see more clearly how, despite my best efforts, the grapes did not get totally covered in sugar and gelatin, especially the red sugar crystals. In retrospect, though, I think that adds to the frosted effect, since frost also often falls on one side of an object. In terms of taste, these grapes were surprisingly good. They taste like they have a sugar crust, and the lemon flavor comes through just enough to be noticed through the grapes's juiciness. If it weren't for the egg-cooking issue, I would strongly recommend a fruity extract like lemon or raspberry to go with these.
Moreover, though, is that these grapes look and taste fancy. They would be a real treat at a wedding reception as a garnish, especially an autumn wedding at a vineyard or something like that. But even as a garnish for your lunch at work on a Thursday in April, they make you feel a little more classy, and I think we all need a little of that every now and again. For how few ingredients this recipe requires, it certainly elevates the humble grape to a more formal and dessert-like state. Plus, they last a good long time, basically as long as your grapes would have lasted in the first place.
So, in conclusion, Frosted Grapes is a worthwhile recipe with numerous applications and potential variations, and it really highlights how versatile gelatin is.
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