Wakefield Museums and Castles

This small glass is a jelly mould. Jellies were very popular in the 1700s. They were expensive and time consuming to make. They were usually served alongside other dishes in small glasses like this one. Jellies were also served as snacks and refreshments at large parties and balls, to go with entertainment such as music and dancing. 

There were different ways of making jelly but the common one started with boiling up calves' feet. This would then be refined with egg white and then strained. The resulting clear liquid could then be coloured and flavoured and left to set into jelly. 

Jellies were not tied to being sweet or savoury. Both were popular. Meat or fish could be set in jelly mixed with spices and wine. Fruit could be set in the jelly instead and flavoured with sugar and other sweet things.

It was in the 1800s that jelly became more associated with sweet flavours. It also became much easier to make with ready-made gelatin. 

Pontefract cookery writer Elizabeth Moxon has a recipe for jelly. It begins by boiling four calves' feet and later adding two more. She flavours and sweetens it with lemon, white wine and sugar. She recommends pouring it into jelly glasses with some lemon peel in them and then leaving it to set.