Photo/Illutration Orange jelly (Photo by Masahiro Goda)

When you pop a spoonful of the jiggly orange jelly in your mouth, the sour taste of the fruit and the sweetness of sugar will spread throughout and generate a refreshing feeling.

The dessert that looks cute and only requires simple steps to make is highly recommended during the hot and humid summer months.

The fruit juice is set with store-bought gelatin powder derived from the bone or skin of animals. Since the jelly melts at around 25 degrees even after it sets, you get to enjoy the smooth texture when it goes in your mouth.

After the gelatin is dissolved in hot water and mixed with orange juice, the mixture is cooled thoroughly and thickened before it is poured into containers. A key to prevent air from entering the mixture and turning into bubbles when cooled is to mix gently as if peeling it off from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

The cider jelly introduced as the arranged version offers a nostalgic fizzy feel the moment you have a mouthful. Since fresh pineapples contain an enzyme that breaks down the protein in the gelatin, canned ones were used in the recipe.

MOST ORANGES COME FROM U.S., AUSTRALIA

A large portion of oranges sold in Japan are imported.

According to the Finance Ministry’s trade statistics, around 90,000 tons of oranges were imported in 2019. Fifty-seven percent came from the United States and 39 percent from Australia.

According to Sunkist Growers, a cooperative of American citrus growers, the navel oranges often available in supermarkets are known for their fresh sweetness and rich aroma. They are harvested in the United States from November through June.

Valencia oranges harvested from February through early November are refreshing in taste and great as a snack.

Some oranges are grown in Japan. Mainly produced in Shizuoka and Hiroshima, among other prefectures, about 5,700 tons of navel oranges were harvested nationwide in 2018.

BASIC COOKING METHOD

(Supervised by Akiko Watanabe in the cooking aspect and Midori Kasai in the cookery science aspect)

* Ingredients and cooking utensils (Serve four)

2 oranges, 1 bag (5 grams) gelatin powder, 30 grams sugar, sieve, rubber spatula

About 50 kcal and 0 gram salt per portion

1. Wash oranges thoroughly and cut in half horizontally. With a knife, make an incision between peel and flesh full circle. Using fork, squeeze out juice on sieve (PHOTO A). Gather remaining membrane with spoon and cut bottom end with scissors. Press flesh remaining on membrane with back of spoon on sieve (PHOTO B). Set aside peel without membrane to be used as container.

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PHOTO A: Squash the flesh of the orange by pressing the back of the fork on the cut surface and squeeze out the juice. Gather the remaining membrane with a spoon. (Photo by Masahiro Goda)
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PHOTO B: When cutting the membrane from the peel, make sure not to make a hole at the bottom. Press down using the curve of the spoon to squeeze as much juice out as possible. (Photo by Masahiro Goda)

2. Pour 100 ml hot water in bowl and dissolve gelatin. Add sugar and mix. Mix with squeezed orange juice.

3. Place bowl on ice water and cool while mixing occasionally with rubber spatula until mixture thickens.

4. Place orange peel horizontally on small cup (PHOTO C) and pour mixture. Cool in fridge for 2 to 3 hours until it sets.

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PHOTO C: The peel will stabilize if placed on a cup when the mixture is poured. Do not mind the bits of membrane remaining at the bottom. (Photo by Masahiro Goda)
Tips on making orange jelly (Video by Masahiro Goda)

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Akiko Watanabe is a cooking expert specializing in Japanese cuisine.

Midori Kasai is a professor at Ochanomizu University and former chairwoman of the Japan Society of Cookery Science.

ARRANGED VERSION

Pineapple cider jelly (Serves four)

Cut 4 slices of canned pineapple cut in rounds (about 140 grams) into pieces 1-cm wide. Pour 50 ml juice from can and 150 ml store-bought cider in bowl, add 30 grams sugar and mix. Dissolve 5 grams gelatin powder in 50 ml hot water and add to mixture. Place bowl on ice water and cool while mixing occasionally until the mixture thickens. Add pineapple pieces, pour in container and cool in fridge for 2 to 3 hours until it sets.

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Pineapple cider jelly (Photo by Masahiro Goda)

COOKERY SCIENCE

Gelatin is a collection of proteins derived from the collagen of animal bones and skin that is broken down through heat. It dissolves in water heated to about 40 degrees and liquifies. Below 10 degrees, the gelatin molecules form a network around water and turn solid into jelly. The addition of acidic fruit juice hampers the solidifying process so that the jelly turns out softer.

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The Asahi Shimbun

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From The Asahi Shimbun’s Gohan Lab column

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