Strawberry Champagne Cocktails (Recipe for 8)

1 tblsp. unflavored gelatin

2 cups cold white grape juice

2 tblsp. sugar

2 cups champagne or club soda (I've always used the club soda.)

8 fresh strawberries, hulled

8 champagne glasses, or 8 small wine glasses that aren't too wide


In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over just one cup of the grape juice. Let stand for one minute. Heat over low heat, stirring till gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in sugar. Remove from heat, stir in the other cup of the grape juice. Cool to room temperature.

Transfer gelatin mixture to a large bowl. Slowly stir in the champagne or the club soda. Using half of the mixture, pour into 8 champagne glasses (about 3/4 full for each glass). Add one strawberry to each glass. Chill glasses for a few hours till the mixture is nearly set. Also chill the rest of the mixture in the bowl.

When the cocktails are just about set in the glasses, take them out of the fridge, along with the bowl of reserved grape juice/club soda mixture, which should also be just about set.

Take the reserved grape juice mixture and pour it into a blender, using a spatula to get it all out of the bowl. Put the cover on the blender and whip it up till it's bright white and foamy. Pour the foam on the top of the set mixture in the champagne glasses, then put the glasses back in the fridge.

They need to stay in the fridge for a few more hours, so they can get good and set, like a "Jello" dessert. When they're ready, you have what looks to be a champagne cocktail, with a strawberry floating near the top. Very pretty, very festive, and it's a light and fun dessert.