Pate de Fruit
My first ever piece of jewelry was given by my grandmother in the first grade. It was tradition in our family that a golden medallion with a religious carving was given to each grandchild celebrating their first Holy Communion. As like many good young Catholic girls, this occasion was one of the most eagerly anticipated events in our school. I was so excited to be wearing a beautiful white dress (I thought I looked like an angel – YIKES!), to finally feel “grown up” and receive Holy Communion and of course I also knew I would be receiving that gold medal like all my siblings and cousins before me.
For most of my childhood I thought that it was probably the most important family heirloom that my Mama (how we all called her) could ever give me. I remember being at school one day realizing I had lost it. I was in tears and was frantic searching my classrooms, the bathrooms and the school cafeteria for it. A few hours later I remembered I had removed it and placed it in my gym bag (yes, even then I was already misplacing things!). What a relief!
While I still treasure my little medallion, I know now that there are greater things my Mama (how we always called her), left me.
Strawberry, Orange and Grape Flavoured Jellies
Take for instance the importance of family. Nothing can be more telling than how she managed to get all her children, grandchildren and occasionally other close family and friends, to gather at her house every Sunday lunch. If you asked me what was on for the weekend – the first thing I would always say was, “we have Sunday lunch at Mama’s house”. I think she got the formula right when she made sure each meal was so delicious that it made these gatherings worth dropping everything for.
Did I tell you that my Mama’s house was also a summer camp and concert ground? Yup, that’s right. Every summer all the cousins would be dropped of at her house and we’d spend the entire day eating, swimming, and concocting silly games to keep ourselves occupied. I remember one summer when all the girls discovered Duran Duran. Oh my… We’d start the day watching one of their videos (in those days we would watch it on the “betamax”!) and then proceed to have our own concert. The older cousins got to pick first who they wanted to “be”. I thought it extremely unfair that my older sister got to be Simon Le Bon when I thought I looked more like him (yes, I don’t know where I got the idea that I looked like him when he looks nothing like a little Asian girl). However, I was lucky enough not to be the youngest who was always stuck being Andy Taylor! 🙂
Whether it be Sunday lunch, summer camp or one of the holiday gatherings – Mama always kept us together. In my own home, this tradition continues on until today. It might not exactly be on Sunday, but at least once a week, we will gather together for a family meal.
Then of course there’s my love for cooking which I am 100% sure I got from her. When people tell me “you would make your Mama proud” or “you’re just like your Mama”. Well, it just makes me want to sing and I can’t stop smiling!
Family and food – these are the jewels my Mama left me.
Pate de Fruit
These little Pate de Fruit remind me very much of little gems and well, truth be told they taste amazing. The recipe is adapted from Cannelle et Vanille. I used her ratios to make strawberry, grape and orange pate de fruit. The recipe it seems can be doubled and tripled with the same successful results.
Recipe
- 120 grams fruit puree, strained
- 3 grams yellow pectin – I used citrus pectin
- 15 grams sugar
- 150 grams sugar
- 30 grams glucose
- 4 grams lemon juice
For the strawberry, I pureed 200 grams in a food processor and strained this to yield the 120 grams.
For the grape, I pureed 385 grams to yield 240 grams (strained) – this recipe I doubled.
For the orange, I first boiled two oranges (seedless) for ten minutes, cut the tops and bottoms and pureed the flesh and juice in a food processor – I did not strain the mixture but used the pulp and juice for the mix. I measured out 360 grams and tripled the rest of the recipe above.
For the instructions below, this assumes you are going to only make one quantity.
- Spray a pan with some flavourless oil (I used grapeseed) and line with plastic wrap, making sure to remove the air from the edges.
- Mix the pectin with the 15 grams of sugar.
- Place the fruit puree in a saucepan and bring to a light boil.
- Add the pectin and sugar mixture and mix with a wooden spoon.
- When it comes to a boil, add the rest of the sugar.
- After 3 minutes add the glucose.
- Continue to mix and cook to 106C. This took me around 10 to 15 minutes depending on whether I was making a single or double or triple quantity.
- Stir often so that the sugar doesn’t burn on the bottom.
- Once it reaches the desired temperature, remove from heat and quickly pour into the container.
- Allow to harden for a few hours and then cut into desired shapes.
- Coat with granulated sugar.
Orange Pate de Fruit
Strawberry Pate de Fruit
Grape Pate de Fruit
Trissalicious 
[…] As an example, this is one recipe: https://trissalicious.com/2010/02/25/family-gems/ […]
Did I miss the size pan you used? And how did you make the shapes that you show in your photos? Thank you….they look lovely!
[…] As an example, that is one recipe: https://trissalicious.com/2010/02/25/family-gems/ […]
Got a packet of these from Trissalicious and they are divine! Thanks Tris!
Gorgeous photographs-all those colors look so sweet! These remind me of the gummy candies I used to buy all the time when I was little 🙂
These amazing gems are worth biting into it. You do have your mom’s passion. And these little gems will be past on to your little ones in the future and on to the next.
What wonderful jewels and family gems!
You made me think of home far away….
They are so beautiful and certainly little jewels of fruit. I love your childhood memories and I so relate to the summer concerts and Duran Duran, I think it was the first band I went to see as a teenager.
These candies are almost as sweet as your memories! You do indeed do your ‘Mama’ proud. As always, thank you for sharing your stories and your talents. As for those childhood Duran Duran concerts, I had the biggest crush on Simon LeBon – I let my BF Cynthia have John Taylor! 😎
These look FABULOUS!! Would be so lovely as cake decorations too.
Nice jewels!
Aren’t these kind of like those Turkish jellies? I love the name pate de fruit. So much more glamorous and descriptive!
Super recipe. Copying now.
There was a business in the Detroit area years ago called Sanders. They made these jellies, but in a moon-shaped form. I used to steal all the orange ones!
I love the stories about your Mama and you totally capture how food can bring a family together! Your pate de fruit looks delish. I was just saying to my husband the other day that I wanted to make it; I’ll have to give it a try!
These are so beautiful and so is your story 🙂
Wishing you a wonderful weekend.
*kisses* HH
Very nice article n actual gems…. Looks so appetizing. Wish I could put those gems in my mouth.
You know what I’m totally addicted to? Sours. Those gummy sour snakes rolled in salty sugar…. they’re my cure for 3:30itis when I’m at work! These remind me of sours and I’m now craving for some!
Your pate de fruit are just gorgeous! I bought some once from Victoire and the intensity of the fruit was amazing. When can I taste some of yours *hint, hint*?
Oh delicious! Homemade jubes!!
Hehe, I thought I was an angel for my holy communion too. Little did I know what I’d be like when I grew up 😉
These are so pretty – gorgeous gems.
They are indeed very very cute and yet eatable gems.
lovely pate de fruit. I miss Mama
Oh yum. These treats are real jewels!!
Family members are like gems, especially mums & grandmas! However these little edible gems are too darling for words.
Lovely post =) the little gems are beautiful!
What beautiful little gems!! Now I’m hungry (like a wolf? ;P) I attempted pate de fruit last year and got jam instead :(, will have to head over to EI soon.
I loved hanging out at my grandparent’s place when we were young too, such fond memories…
what a stellar post. these little jewels that you’ve created are so lovely, they compliment your beautiful words and thoughts quite nicely. 🙂
What a lovely family story Trissa. it sounds so much fun.. I can almost feel the love and laughter from the pages while reading this.
Gorgeous also are your fruit jewels…:)
Mmmm…colourful, colourful jubes of fruit!
What a lovely story. When we were younger it was the same we would all be dropped off at my grandmother- such fun times!
These looks splendid and I would have never thought to make them at home… Now I shall attempt them!
Your post made me remember my childhood. I have such a big family that every single party was a blast. My grandparents would sit and watch from their chairs like a king and queen while all of us would do a dance routine for them. I even remember Big Mum (grandma) chucking coins from the roof of the main house. Your pate De Fruit looks amazing. I am too scared to attempt such skill full cooking. I would probably burn myself or end up with thick fruit concentrate instead of perfection. Thanks for sharing your memories.
Aw, that’s so nice! I’m sure your mum would be very touched to read this 🙂 I like the grape one. Salivating for it actually. When you say puree of orange, it’s not just the juice is it? It has all the pulp and stuff?
@ Mangy – yes it’s Trissa here – yes I used the puree – pulp and juice! 🙂
Wow. This looks amazing and I can’t believe how easy it looks to make. YUM!!
These pates de fruit are gorgeous! so colourful and sparkly! I wouldn’t mind a box…I’d cherish them!
Wow. These pâtés de fruit are BEAUTIFUL! I love the shape of them.
They look so colorful, fresh and lovely! Recipe bookmarked!
Thank you!
Trissa, I love these, they are so pretty and have such lovely colour 🙂 I can almost taste them from the photos alone. Haha it sounds like you got as panicked as a child just as much as I do whenever I think I’ve lost something!
What a cute story. I love how you put a lot of love and care retelling these stories. The recipe looks great but perhaps dangerous. I am not sure it is safe me knowing how to make my own gummi fruits.
OMG… this is freaking good. I love these as well. And yes memories.
I love your story of your childhood. I didn’t have a big extended family so missed out but my children now do and do the “summer thing” actually every school holiday. The fruit jellies are something I have always wanted to make. Where do you get citrus pectin from? Don’t they look just like jewels? Beautiful!
Oh Trissa! What a sweet post (literally)! Your mama will be so proud of you, seeing how accomplished a cook/baker you are. These pate de fruit make me girlish all over again. They just so pretty, and the colours are amazing!! My favourite childhood sweet was a blackcurrent pate de fruit from rowntree. 🙂
looks yummy 😀
uy, ang sarap naman. I haven’t tried making those kahit na sobrang hilig ko sa mga ganyan.
Oh yummy! I really really want to make these. They are so versatile! Where do you buy yellow pectin from?
@Phuoc – the yellow pectin I substituted and used instead citrus pectin which I got from Essential Ingredients in Sydney.
Oh they are soooo pretty!! They brought back so many childhood memories of hiding in the backyard and eating whole packets of lifesaver lollies!! 🙂 What a gorgeous story!
I read with envy about your weekly family gatherings. My family is small and extended families were far away from us hence, we’ve never really had such events. Thanks for sharing the pate de fruits recipes. I have always loved them but have always balked at the amount of sugar that is to be used during the preparation… but I have come to gather that the sugar content is inevitable…. I may give this a try using the tubs of fruit purees I have in my freezer…:)
Trissa, this is a lovely story of your family. The pate de fruit are beautiful! I didn’t think this type of candy could be made at home.
these are so pretty~they make me smile just looking at them!!
plus, i LOVE fruit jellies!!
What a sweet story:) In more ways than one~
Your pâte de fruits is AMAZING.
We went downtown yesterday and they were selling …at a specialty shop..some from Provence..I had wanted to get some then..and there..in Provence.. but we ran out of time..
So..next time..
But for now I will research your ingredients..:) And maybe give it a try~ Thanks to Mama and You~And C and V♥
Oh such gorgeousness!!! :)) I love your stories.. They are so from the heart and connecting! I grew up in a small family of me and parents.. but hub was part of a huuuuugeeee family (300 from his side and 5 from mine at our wedding.. imagine! ).. so I relate to your summer camp stories from his reminiscing 🙂
Btw, did i tell you my pate story?? It started off nice and pate making and then eventually became jelly only coz it din’t set well.. hehe.. but was perfect for Nanaimo bars 😀
LOL @ Duran Duran! Those were the days! (actually, Andy Taylor is a very well respected guitarist!). Food and family are always going to be connected…I have always believed that food is he centre piece of all families. I am amazed at how beautiful those pate de fruit look Trissa! Well done!
I LOVE Pate de fruit. I’ve been waiting to make some I saw in a Jamie Oliver cookbook…..someday! They look delish!