This easy Strawberry Gelee with Chardonnay is my summer go-to recipe, it’s lightly sweet, velvety smooth, and the strawberry and wine flavors are deliciously flavorful. Think of this as a strawberry wine cocktail that jiggles.
This page may contain affiliate links; please see my full disclosure for policy details. I earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page.
Try this easy-to-make dessert that looks and tastes so very elegant showcasing summer's freshest strawberries. This is a great make-ahead dessert for any occasion when you need a fancy dessert. And don't be fooled; this is not jello, no, no, no, it's so much better.
Jump to:
❓What is a gelee?
- First of all, you pronounce this dessert as “jeelay,” which is a fancy French name that means jelly or jelled.
- Gelees are not a widely known dessert, but it is simply a fruit puree mixed with unflavored gelatin, sugar, lemon juice, and for this recipe, chardonnay wine.
- Besides fresh fruit, you can use fruit juices, broths, and different types of wine to flavor a gelee to have sweet or savory gelees.
- I know you think this is just jello, but it’s not; it's so much better! Just one taste, and you will be saying Oh la la this dessert is amazing. It's naturally flavored with fresh strawberries.
- This strawberry gelee is not firm like jello; the consistency is much looser and has a beautiful jiggle. Think of this as a sophisticated jello that almost melts in your mouth.
- Depending on how you want to serve it, you can make gelees with a firmer texture. For that, you would add more gelatin to the recipe. For instance, if you want the gelee to be a filling between cake layers.
- Make a parfait using custards, yogurt, cake, ice cream, or panna cotta, and top with a layer of gelee.
- If you live in the U.K., you might call this dessert a jelly.
If you want a baked strawberry dessert and one that is easy to make, try our favorite Fresh Strawberry Sheet Cake recipe. The strawberry buttercream is light and fluffy and the perfect topper for fruit cake.
🍓Gelee Ingredients
- Unflavored Gelatin - I use Knox Gelatin, which is easy to find next to the flavored jello.
- Chardonnay Wine - Use a fruity wine for the best flavor. You can substitute apple juice or white grape juice if you prefer not to use wine.
- Fresh Lemon Juice - Fresh is always ideal.
- Heavy Whipping Cream - Adding whipped cream on top of the gelees is optional, but I like it, and it makes the cups of gelee pretty with a strawberry on top.
✔️ Tips for success
- I do recommend using fresh ripe strawberries for the best flavor since this dessert is all about the fruit.
- Try using raspberries, blackberries, stone fruits, apples, and citrus for different fruits.
- Go for a flavorful and fragrant wine because it is the supporting flavor you want to taste. You can also use rosé, red, champagne, muscat, or port.
- If you are not into wine, try different juices like apple or cranberry
- I have not used agar-agar as an alternative to gelatin. It is a vegetarian substitute for gelatin, but it does gel firmer, so I don't know if you would get that nice loose gelee.
How To Make Strawberry Gelée Recipe: Step-By-Step
Step 1. Wash, hull, and slice the fresh strawberries and put them into a large bowl. Next, add the sugar on top of the fresh berries.
Step 2. Pour the wine into a glass measuring cup and set it in the microwave for 1 minute. Now pour the hot wine on top of the berries and stir.
Using a potato masher, or a fork, mash the strawberries to break them down into small pieces to release the juices. Let this strawberry mixture sit for about 1 hour to infuse the strawberries with the wine.
Step 3. Pour the macerated strawberries into a fine-mesh sieve (strainer) set over a 4-cup measuring cup. Using a large soup ladle, press out the juices by pressing down on the berries to release the juices. Add water to the juice to make 2 cups of liquid.
Step 4. Put the lemon juice in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin powder over the juice, then stir to combine and microwave the mixture for 20 seconds to melt the gelatin, then stir. Next, pour the melted gelatin mixture into the strawberry juice.
Step 5. Place the measuring cup or bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
Step 6. At this point, the gelatin mixture has firmed up but is not entirely set. Pour the gelee into dessert glasses, and place them in the refrigerator to finish setting. When ready to serve, add a dollop of whipped cream on top and a sliced strawberry for a very elegant dessert.
🍓Strawberry tip
This is the easiest way to slice a strawberry for pretty toppings or garnishes. You need an egg slicer, and just put your strawberry on the slicer and push down on the wired slicer just to the strawberry hull. Pull the strawberry off the slicer and fan out the slices.
💖You will love this dessert
- Six ingredients are needed to make this delicate fruity dessert gelatin recipe.
- No long cooking time is required, and this is a no-bake dessert.
- This is a unique and impressive dessert to serve guests for special occasions, but honestly, I make it because it's so good, and my family loves it. Plus, we love fancy desserts.
- This recipe is excellent for hot days when you want a cool and luscious fruity treat.
❔ FAQ's
Since they need chilling time, make gelees ahead and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Since this is a no-bake dessert, the wine is still present in the gelee, so it's best served to adults. Unlike baked desserts with wine, the alcohol will bake out of the wine, just leaving the flavor.
Jello is a brand name and is made from gelatin, just like a gelee is made from gelatin. However, gelee recipes start with plain unflavored gelatin, whereas Jello is already flavored and sweetened.
🍷How To Serve A Gelatin Dessert
Pretty red desserts should be served in pretty dishes. These footed glass bowls are just the right size for these gelees.
More recipes to try
- Here is an easy One Hot Oven guide on how to keep strawberries from going bad.
- Try this fun Strawberry Grilled Cheese for dessert, yes, you can grill desserts.
- Another favorite dessert is this No-Bake Strawberry Shortcake, a family favorite.
- This Lemon Sponge Cake with Ginger has tons of raspberries piled on top for an easy cake recipe.
- Don't let summer go by without making these easy Peach Raspberry Crumble Bars.
- These Raspberry Cookies are covered in the prettiest pastel sprinkles.
More Desserts To Enjoy
Subscribe here for more great recipes, and follow One Hot Oven for more tasty sweet and savory recipes! Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
Recipe
Strawberry Gelee With Chardonnay
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
Gelee
- 20 ounces strawberries Washed and dried. This should be 3 cups when sliced.
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup chardonnay wine use a fruity wine you like
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh is best
- 1 envelop unflavored gelatin 1 envelop is 2 ½ tsp.
Sweetened Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries and add to a large bowl. Reserve 4 strawberries for garnish.
- Pour the chardonnay into a glass measuring cup or a small bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Then pour the wine over the strawberries.
- Pour the sugar over the berries and wine and mix together well.
- Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the strawberries to break them down into small pieces to release the juices. You can also use two knives and cut through the strawberries in a criss-cross fashion.
- Let sit for 1 hour to infuse the strawberries with the wine.
- Strain the berries in a fine mesh stainer over a large measuring cup and using a spoon or a soup ladle press out the juices, this will separate the seeds from the juice. Add water to juice to make 2 cups of liquid.
- In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice and gelatin together. Microwave on high about 20 seconds or until the gelatin has dissolved. Do not boil this mixture. Stir the mixture together.
- Stir the gelatin mixture into the strawberry/wine juice.
- Place the measuring cup with the gelee into the freezer and stir it every ten minutes for 30 minutes. The gelee will firm up but it will not be completely set.
- Spoon the gelee into 4 6-ounce ramekins, wine glasses, or bowls, then set in the refrigerator. The gelees will continue to firm up.
Serving the gelee
- Pour the cold whipping cream into a small bowl and using a hand mixer starting at low speed, whip until the cream, for about 30 seconds then increase the speed as the cream starts to thicken. Bean just to soft peaks then slowly mix in the sugar. Continue beating at medium high speed until firm peaks form.
- Pipe rosettes of the whipped cream on top of the gelee, or spoon a dollop on top. Top the whipped cream with a sliced strawberry and serve.
- Cover any leftovers with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for several days.
Notes
Nutrition
First Published: July 14, 2012... Last Updated: August 1, 2023, for better readability.
Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog. Please leave a comment to say Hello, or just let me know what you are baking these days; I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Have any questions or want to chat about the recipe? My contact information is on my About page, and I’ll be happy to help.
About Jere'
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
THis is not only delicious - it's a beautiful way to end a summer barbecue!
Glenda
What a lovely and light strawberry dessert! We loved it! The Chardonnay added a new depth of flavor that you wouldn't expect from gelatin. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Jennifer
I looooove strawberries and this recipe was so good! It was easier to make than I thought it would be, too! Yum!
Jere Cassidy
This gelee is surprisingly easy to make, and then you get such an elegant dessert.
Shelby
These are so delicious! Super light and refreshing, a great summer dessert