First Posted: 3/25/2014

Isn’t it fun to take something reminiscent of childhood and throw an adult twist on it? I mean, this has to be why we like drinking games so much, right? It’s the frivolity of being a kid coupled with the opportunity to get totally hammered.

Well, consider this yet another way to do such a thing, but this time involving food. If you’re a fan of Jell-O Jigglers or Gummi Bears, this is the recipe for you: wine gummies.

The recipe is simple, and within a mere two hours you can have a plate filled with fun chewables that are sweet on the palate.

For this, grab one cup of your favorite wine, four tablespoons of unflavored gelatin (one square box of four packets from the grocery store suffices), and two to four tablespoons of maple syrup. The original recipe called for a half teaspoon of Stevia that was optional, so I didn’t use it, though I wish I had. While the gummies came out great, the taste of the wine could have been masked a little better, and that’s the purpose of the Stevia.

Warm the wine over low heat in a sauce pan, making sure not to let it boil, which would cause the alcohol to burn off. I let mine sit for about two minutes before I got to work on adding ingredients.

Add one tablespoon (or packet) of gelatin at a time, stirring with a whisk until completely dissolved before adding the next tablespoon. Once the gelatin is dissolved, add the Stevia if you’re using it, then one tablespoon of maple syrup at a time. The amount of maple syrup depends on how sweet you want the gummies. Do a taste test after each tablespoon to see if you need more.

I used a Pinot Noir for my gummies and ended up adding only two tablespoons of maple syrup.

Stir until smooth, and then the fun can begin. If you have silicone molds or ice trays, pour the mixture into each to get shaped gummies. I poured mine into a 7-by-2-inch round cake pan because I made only one batch and didn’t want to chance pouring it into a larger pan and making the gummies too thin. If you’ve doubled or tripled this recipe, you may want to pour it into a larger pan.

I let the gummies chill for three hours before removing them from the fridge and using a small cookie cutter to make them heart-shaped. A paring knife came in handy to clean up the edges.

And then, snack time.

Be aware: Too many of these little guys at once won’t only vex your teeth but perhaps your faculties as well. As with all things alcoholic, moderation is key.

WINE GUMMIES

Courtesy of thrive-style.com

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup wine of choice

4 tbsp. unflavored gelatin

1/2 tsp. Stevia

2-4 tbsp. maple syrup

DIRECTIONS:

In a saucepan, warm the wine on low heat, taking care not to let it boil.

Add the gelatin one tablespoon at a time, stirring well with a whisk to completely dissolve before adding more.

After the gelatin has completely dissolved, add the Stevia, then maple syrup. Taste the mixture after each tablespoon of maple syrup and adjust according to sweetness: the more syrup, the sweeter it gets.

Pour into shaped molds or a pan, depending on the shape you’d like your gummies to take. Let chill in the refrigerator for at least two to three hours before serving.