Orchids In May

Jelly Shot Birthday Party

Posted by Stephanie on May 22, 2012 · 2 Comments 

For the last few months I’ve been pinning almost everything from Jelly Shot Test Kitchen to my pinterest boards. They all looked so pretty & way nicer than the crappy packet jelly & cheap vodka in a plastic shot glass variety jelly shots that we had in uni. I really wanted to make some & see if they tasted as good as they looked. I spent ludicrous amounts of time trying to think of excuses to have a party just so I could try them out, because unlike cakes or biscuits jelly shots aren’t really the kind of thing you whip up on a Sunday afternoon just because you feel like it.

Then my birthday came round and I got my wisdom teeth out and I’d always heard that when you get your wisdom teeth out you should eat lots of jelly.

I think you can guess where this is headed…..

To celebrate my birthday (and my gaining of wisdom by losing 4 teeth), I threw a party & made jelly shots.

All of these jelly shots are based on cocktails. I made Mojitos, Cosmos, Whisky Sours, Gin & Tonics, Pina Coladas & Vodka Watermelons.

Without a doubt the best & most popular were the whisky sours & the mojitos (pictured above). The gin & tonics (below), pina coladas (below) & vodka watermelons were OK but I would make a few minor tweaks before making them again. The cosmos were way too boozy & I wouldn’t make them again without a totally different recipe. Given that the mojitos & the whisky sours turned out the best, I thought I’d share my recipes for them with you.

Before I start though, a little note on gelatine. Gelatine is the gelling agent used to set jellies. It’s sold in powered form & in leaves, I have included the brand information for the gelatine I used, but unless you’re using exactly the same brand/grade of gelatine, I’d suggest you do a trial run to get the consistency right. A couple of nights before the party I made 3 x 100ml batches of 1:1 sugar syrup & booze (the cheapest bottle in my cupboard that was about 40%). I put different amounts of gelatine in each batch, (1.5, 2 & 2.5 times the recommended amount). The following morning I checked the results to work out which was the best option for me.

Also, I shouldn’t need to say this, but I will anyway, these jelly shots are particularly delicious & if you don’t watch yourself you’ll end up eating a whole heap & then wonder why you’re drunk. Don’t be fooled, these recipes contain a fair amount of booze so be careful & drink responsibly.

Whisky Sour Jelly Shots
(makes 20 30ml jelly shots)

240ml Whisky (I used Chivas Regal for the party, but I normally make Whisky Sours with Big Peat)
240ml Lemon Juice (strained)
120ml Sugar Syrup
30g McKenzies Edible Gelatine
1 egg white
1 tblsp caster sugar
Maraschino Cherries

Bring the lemon juice & sugar syrup to the boil. Add the gelatine & stir until dissolved. If you’re using powdered gelatine make sure you stir the mixture while slowly sprinkling the gelatine in, otherwise you’ll end up with yucky, clumpy bits. Allow the mixture to cool to about the temperature of a warm bath – basically cold enough that you can dip your finger in & not get burnt. Stir the whisky in & pour into moulds – I used ice cube trays. The jellies should set in 6-8 hours.
Once the jellies have set, pop them out of the moulds onto a plate. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form & add the caster sugar. Put a little dollop of egg white mix & a cherry on the top of each jelly & serve.

Mojito Jelly Shots
(makes 20 30ml jelly shots)

150ml White Rum
150ml Lime Juice (strained)
300ml Sugar Syrup
30g McKenzies Edible Gelatine
Bunch of mint + a few leaves to serve

Roughly chop up the mint (keep some for serving thought). Put the lime juice, mint & sugar syrup in a saucepan & bring to the boil. Strain the mixture to remove all mint leaves. Add the gelatine & stir until dissolved. If you’re using powdered gelatine make sure you stir the mixture while slowly sprinkling the gelatine in, otherwise you’ll end up with yucky, clumpy bits. Allow the mixture to cool to about the temperature of a warm bath – basically cold enough that you can dip your finger in & not get burnt. Stir the rum in & pour into a slab tray. The jellies should set in 6-8 hours.
Once the jelly has set, slice the jelly into cubes & arrange on a plate. Chop up the remaining mint & sprinkle over the top.