Four Nights A Week

I opened a bottle of Pinot this week which was not unusual, but the bottle was truly not to my liking. Not wanting to waste it, I looked a ways to cook with it other than as a braising liquid.

Andrea Geary recently published some interesting recipes for Pâtes de Fruit in America’s Test Kitchen, and I am here to tell you that the bottle of Pinot was put to good use. In fact, I’m just a little hopeful I come across another similar bottle before the holidays so I can gift these fruit squares to friends.

One of the most challenging aspects of the recipe is sourcing Certo liquid pectin. Whenever I’ve made jelly or jam, I’ve used powdered versions; Certo definitely took some sleuthing, but I did locate it. My advice is that if you are considering making these confections, forward-thinking will be your friend.

We had encountered these candies on our travels to France, but this version has a definite New World flavor. Mulled wine makes the Pâtes subtly spicy and thanks to the addition of unsweetened apple sauce, very apple-y.

The recipe is available on America’s Test Kitchens subscription website, and I’ve included an ingredient list for convenience:

Mulled Wine Pâtes de Fruit

Ingredients:

• Certo liquid pectin
• red wine
• orange zest
• cinnamon stick
• whole cloves
• sugar
• unsweetened applesauce
• brandy
• lemon juice