If you’ve ever made jelly, jam, or marmalade, then you’re familiar with pectin, the gelling agent usually responsible for those jiggly preserves. While there’s no shortage of commercially developed pectin on the market, it actually occurs naturally in the cell walls of plants, binding cells together to help the organism grow. For hundreds of years, it has been an integral ingredient in pâte de fruit, the brightly hued chewy treat that French confiseurs display so proudly, like a sparkly bauble in a jewelry store window. Good restaurants often send diners away with a few pâte de fruit as a parting gift, a classy tradition that could easily be adopted at private dinner parties. These candies also make great favors for weddings, showers, and other such celebratory occasions.