Mini Abuelita Gelatins 23 Nov 2023 10:55 AM (last year)
Turned on to Mexican Abuelita hot chocolate tablets by a friend, I found a wealth of recipes beyond just hot chocolate, including Jellos!
So, this year for Friendsgiving, I made Mini Abuelita Gelatins from this recipe. Its perfect balance of cocoa, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon gives it a distinctive taste. Coupled with my favorite jello recipe ingredient, sweetened condensed milk, this is a rich and creamy Thanksgiving desert.
Ingredients
2 packets (7 grams each) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
2 cups 2% low fat milk
1 tablet (90 grams) NESTLÉ ABUELITA Authentic Mexican Hot Chocolate Drink
1 can (14 ounces) Sweetened Condensed Milk
Directions
Combine water and gelatin in a small bowl. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Let sit for 10 minutes or until gelatin begins to firm.
Heat milk and NESTLÉ ABUELITA in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until chocolate is dissolved and milk begins to gently boil. Stir in NESTLÉ LA LECHERA Sweetened Condensed Milk. Remove from heat; stir in gelatin mixture.
Divide mixture between eight ½-cup gelatin molds; cover and refrigerate overnight.
Unmold gelatins
Taste of Greece 13 Mar 2018 8:05 AM (7 years ago)
Since going on a trip of a lifetime to Greece last September, there have been a number of “reunion” get-togethers to maintain the bonds formed on the trip and celebrate various occasions (see my last post regarding our “Crete-mas” party). This occasion is to bid a fond farewell to Art (the birthday boy on said trip) and Marty who are departing NYC for the simple life in Portland, OR.
Ouzo was in order for our Greek-inspired potluck farewell. An anise-flavored aperitif, ouzo is widely consumed in Greece. It is often mixed with a little water or ice wherein it will turn cloudy and maybe a little blue. In this case, it’s been mixed with gelatin and turned into a jello shot with alternating white and blue layers to represent the Greek flag.
You have to love licorice to love this jello shot and, even though sweetened condensed milk and a bit of lemon juice takes some of the bite out the flavor, ouzo is not for everyone. Art, for example, despite being Greek himself, does not like Ouzo… and don’t listen to Marty, they do not taste like sushi!
Good luck Art & Marty! I’ll be out to visit soon!
Ingredients
3 cups cold water
2 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cups ouzo
1/4 cup lemon juice
4-8 drops blue food coloring
Directions
Pour the white mixture into an 11X7 or equivalent sized baking dish. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes, checking it often, until the gelatin is set but not completely firm – the gelatin should stick to your finger when touched.
Gently spoon the blue mixture into pan over the white. Again, refrigerate for about 10 minutes, checking it often, until the gelatin is set but not completely firm – again, the gelatin should stick to your finger when touched.
Repeat this process twice more for the white, then blue layers. Refrigerate overnight until firm.
Dip the pan in warm (not hot) for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen the gelatin. Cut into rectangles. If you’re feeling ambitious, cut strips of white from the trimming at the edge of the pan to make the white crosses of the Greek flag on the top of the pieces. And serve.
Honey Custard with Walnuts 19 Dec 2017 10:05 AM (7 years ago)
Over the summer I took a trip of a lifetime to the island of Crete in Greece. The trip was in celebration of our friend Art’s milestone birthday where 15 of us spent 10 days exploring out-of-the-way beaches and historical cities. Three months after the trip, Art hosted a reunion “Crete-mas” party. Inspired by traditional Greek desserts and the holiday season, I made this honey custard with a honey and walnut topping. A simple recipe of heavy cream, sugar, and honey delivers a delicate flavor.
Ingredients
Custard:2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
1/2 cup milk
3 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
Directions
In a saucepan, sprinkle gelatin evenly over the milk and heavy cream and allow the gelatin to absorb the milk and cream for two minutes.
Turn heat to medium while whisking the mixture until the gelatin is dissolved. Whisk in sugar, honey and vanilla extract until dissolved. Bring just to a boil while whisking continuously, being careful not to let the cream boil over. Remove from heat and continue to whisk for 5 minutes as it cools.Allow to cool to room temperature and pour into a 3 ½ cup mold. Refrigerate until firm.
Ingredients
Honey Walnut Syrup:3 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of water
Handful of shelled, chopped or whole, walnuts
Directions
In a tiny saucepan, heat the honey and water until the honey melts into the water. Remove from heat and pour into a separate container. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in the walnuts.Unmold the custard, pour the honey and walnuts over it, and serve.
Makes 3 ½ cups
Bourbon Butter Pecan 20 Nov 2016 9:28 AM (8 years ago)
Forgo the pecan pie this Thanksgiving and try a jello instead! The delicate flavors of warm butter, cool ice cream and crunchy pecans are not overshadowed by the bite of bourbon. It’s like have pie with ice cream all rolled into a tidy little mold, with a little side of booze. The perfect end to your Thanksgiving feast!
Ingredients
1 cup water1 1/2 cups amaretto liqueur or butterscotch schnapps
8 tablespoons (8 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
2 cups sugar
1/2 stick of butter, softened until liquid
6 cups (1.5 quarts) butter pecan ice cream (with pecans), softened until liquid
1 cup Bourbon
Whole pecans for garnish
Directions
In a large saucepan, stir together water and amaretto liqueur or butterscotch schnapps. Sprinkle the gelatin over the mixture and allow the gelatin to soak for 2 to 3 minutes.
Over medium heat, bring the mixture just to a boil, whisking the gelatin continuously until is fully dissolved. Remove from heat. Whisk in the sugar and butter until fully dissolved and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, slowly pour in the liqueur, butter, and sugar mixture into the melted ice cream, whisking continuously. Whisk in the bourbon. Refrigerate until thickened slightly. Stir to suspend the pecans from the ice cream evenly throughout the mixture and spoon into 1/2 cup sized individual molds or cups.
Refrigerate overnight until firm. Unmold and serve. Makes about 15 servings.
Baby Shower Jello Shots 31 Jul 2016 6:17 PM (9 years ago)
What goes better with office workers and babies-to-be but pink and blue jello shots? These were made especially for a surprise office baby shower for a couple of coworkers each having a baby, one boy and one girl. Watermelon flavored with creamy condensed milk and topped with little plastic babies, these were the highlight of the surprise and only a little creepy.
Ingredients
Pink layer:
2 packages of watermelon (or any red colored) flavored gelatin
1 cup of boiling water
1 1/2 of cups sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of vodka
Blue layer:
1/2 cup of cold water
4 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder
1 cup of boiling water
1 1/2 cup of sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cups cake flavored vodka
4 drops of blue food dye
Tiny plastic babies to garnish
Directions
Pour the pink mixture into a 13×19 or equivalent sized pan. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, checking it often, until the gelatin is set but not completely firm- the gelatin should stick to your finger when touched.
For the blue layer, in a medium saucepan, sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup of the cold water. Allow the gelatin to absorb the water for 2 minutes. Whisk 1 cup of the boiling water and allow to cool to room temperature. Whisk in 1 1/2 of cups sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 cup of vodka, and the food dye.
Gently spoon the blue mixture into pan over the pink. Refrigerate overnight until firm.
Dip the pan in warm (not hot) for 15 seconds to loosen he gelatin. Use mini flower shaped cookie cutters to cut out the shapes, top with plastic babies and serve.
4th of July Strawberry Shots 3 Jul 2016 8:23 AM (9 years ago)
Fireworks, BBQs, and Jello Shots!!! It’s time to celebrate American Independence and serving up vodka soaked sweet cream layered in cored out strawberries to all your closest friends and neighbors is the best way to do it. These boozy bites will be devoured at a rooftop party hosted by my neighbors and myself tomorrow as we get a prime view of the fireworks. Happy 4th of July!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder½ cup cold water
½ cup boiling water
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup vodka
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 drops of blue food coloring
2 pounds of large strawberries
Directions
In a bowl, sprinkle 2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of gelatin evenly over 1/2 cup of the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Whisk in boiling water until gelatin is full dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vodka. Divide the mixture into two equal parts in separate bowls and stir blue food coloring in to one of them. Refrigerate both mixtures until thickened to the consistency of a gel.Meanwhile, slice off the top leafy bit of each strawberry. Use a strawberry huller or small melon baller to core out the strawberries, making sure you don’t dig so deep that you create a hole in the bottom. Stand the strawberries upright in muffin tin or a baking pan. Spoon the blue mixture into the strawberries. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, checking it often, until the gelatin is set but not completely firm- the gelatin should stick to your finger when touched.
Spoon the white mixture into the strawberries over the blue. Refrigerate overnight until firm. Carefully cut the gelatin filled strawberries in half lengthwise and serve.
French 75 Shots 5 Jun 2016 6:56 AM (9 years ago)
Admittedly, I have been absent from the jello blogosphere for some time. My new job has been just the new start I needed and has also kept be super busy. But…. summer is here and with it comes more summer cocktail inspired jellos! Thus, I give you The French 75. An iconic drink of New Orleans made with gin (or cognac, depending on who you ask), lemon juice and topped with champagne. These jello shot versions (made with gin) were in celebration of a co-worker’s recent New Orleans destination wedding and again for a Memorial Day cookout to usher in the long awaited warm weather.
4 tablespoons (4 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups gin or cognac
3/4 cup lemon juice
4 drops yellow food dye
3 cups cold champagne
Gummy fruit candy to garnish
For the lemon layer:
In a saucepan, sprinkle 1 tablespoon (1 envelope) of gelatin evenly over 1/2 cup of the water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Bring water just to a boil while whisking in the gelatin until dissolved, careful not to let the mixture boil over. Whisk in 1/2 cup of the sugar until dissolved and remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in the 1/2 cup of the gin, 3/4 cup of lemon juice, and 4 drops of yellow food dye.
Pour the mixture into mini plastic shot glasses, about 1/3 of the way full. Refrigerate until gelatin is set but not firm (gelatin should be nearly firm but still stick to you finger when touched).
For the champagne layer:
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sprinkle 3 tablespoons (3 envelopes) of gelatin evenly over 3/4 cup of the water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Bring water just to a boil while whisking in the gelatin until dissolved, careful not to let the mixture boil over. Whisk in 1 1/2 cup of the sugar until dissolved and remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in the 1 cup of the gin and 3 cups of the champagne.
Gently, pour the mixture over the lemon layer in the shot glasses and refrigerate until firm or overnight. Garnish with gummy fruit candy and serve.
Makes about 30 jello shots (depending on the size of the shot glasses). If you want to make more simply double the recipe.
Champagne and Strawberry Shots 8 Feb 2016 6:36 PM (9 years ago)
Who says jello shots can’t be romantic? Little strawberry cups hold gelatinous champagne topped with a little sprig of mint. This bite-size take on the classic aphrodisiac is sure to spark that Valentine’s Day romance… or, at the very least, get your date a little buzzed. This recipe was created for Food Network so click through to create your own Valentine’s Day treat.
Bourbon Cheesecake 12 Dec 2015 8:06 AM (9 years ago)
This holiday season, get your party guests in the spirit with some spirited cheesecake bites. Bourbon livens up these individual sized cheesecakes made with cream cheese, sour cream, and a hint a vanilla. Have a happy holiday!
4 tablespoons (4 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
1 cup water
2 cups (2-8 ounce bricks) of cream cheese, very softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup of bourbon
In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin evenly over water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Bring to a boil while whisking until gelatin is full dissolved. Transfer gelatin into a medium bowl and beat in cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract and bourbon until mixture is smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature and pour into individual 1/2 molds or serving cups. Refrigerate until firm. Unmold and serve.
Makes 6 cups/12 ½-cup servings (to make less or more double or half the recipe)
Carrot Cake Jello 21 Nov 2015 11:58 AM (9 years ago)
You might be surprised to learn that The Jello Mold Mistress has a day-job. As much as I wish I could make jello full time, it doesn’t fully support my fancy lifestyle the high cost-of-living in Brooklyn. That said, I just landed a new day-job that I am very exciting about which means that jello has take a backseat for the past couple of weeks. But, with the holidays coming up, I wanted to take the time to post more stuff! This recipe can be found in my book Hello Jell-O!. It’s an autumn inspired jello that mixes carrots and cream cheese with the warm flavors of vanilla and cinnamon and would make a great addition to the Thanksgiving dessert table. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
First Layer:
1 tablespoon (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin powder
1/2 cup cold orange-carrot juice
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup (8-ounce brick) cream cheese, softened
Second Layer:
1 tablespoon (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin powder
1/2 cup cold orange-carrot juice
1 cup boiling orange-carrot juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup finely grated carrots
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
To make the first layer, in a large bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the cold orange-carrot juice and allow the gelatin to absorb the juice for 2 minutes. Add the boiling water and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir in the sugar. Beat in the cream cheese with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth. Spoon into a 4-cup mold. Refrigerate until the gelatin is set, but not firm (It should stick to your finger when touched). Note: This layer may begin to set faster than the next layer can be prepared, so it may be best to leave it at room temperature until the next layer is nearly ready. If the first layer does begin to set faster than the second layer can be prepared, dip the mold into a pan of hot water to slow the setting or reheat the carrot juice and cream cheese mixture in a sauce pan until softened and pour it back into the mold and wait for it to become set, but not firm.
Meanwhile, to make the second layer, in a separate bowl, sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the cold orange-carrot juice and allow the gelatin to absorb the juice for 2 minutes. Add the boiling orange-carrot juice and stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir in the sugar, then the vanilla and cinnamon. Refrigerate until thickened to the consistency of a gel. Fold in the carrots and pecans. Gently spoon the mixture into the mold over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until firm. Unmold and serve.