fruit jelly a dessert made from fruit syrup and gelatin, allowed to set in a cool place. Valued for its clear, sparkling appearance, it was originally based on a gelatin-rich stock made from calves feet (or, sometimes, isinglass). This type of jelly demanded time and technical skill during preparation. Eighteenth-century jellies were served in glasses, sometimes presented as ‘ribbons’—layers of jelly in different colours. Nineteenth-century jellies were often set in elaborate copper moulds, giving tall castellated and other shapes when turned out. See drawing.
