April showers, bring May flowers, right? That would be true except this spring has been so unseasonably cold that every time we have a warm day and I think spring is finally here, it gets cold again and the flowers refuse to bloom. Never-the-less, June is almost upon us and it’s time for Memorial Day weekend cookouts! So I present you with May Flowers jello shots. Made with a generous dose of St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, gin, and grapefruit juice, these shots are flowery, sweet, and a little tart. Have a safe and warm holiday weekend!

-2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
-1 cup white grapefruit juice
-1/2 cup sugar
-1 cup elderflower liqueur (St. Germain)
-1/3 cup gin
-green food dye (opt)

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin evenly over grapefruit juice and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Over medium heat whisk in sugar and bring just to a boil while stirring gelatin until fully dissolved, careful not to let the mixture boil over. Transfer gelatin into a medium bowl and allow to cool to room temperature. Stir in elderflower liqueur and gin. Pour into candy molds, or novelty silicon ice cube trays shaped like flowers.

Refrigerate until firm. Dip mold in warm water for 10 to 15 seconds and invert over a baking sheet to unmold. Mix a couple of drops of green food dye with a few drops of water and, using a tiny paint brush, paint the center of each flower green (optional). Refrigerate to let the green dye dry and serve. Makes about 20 jello shots.

Spring is just now starting to show itself here in Brooklyn and Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner. Celebrate this holiday of Mexican heritage and pride with some little cactus shaped margarita jello shots. These are made with silver tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, and are garnished with a little Twizzler cactus bloom. These jello shots will be enjoyed this weekend at a Cinco de Mayo rooftop party.

3 tablespoons (3 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
3/4 cup cold water
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup orange liquor or triple sec
3/4 cup clear (silver) tequila
3 drops green food dye
A couple of Twizzlers for garnish

In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin evenly over cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Stir boiling water into gelatin until gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir in sugar. Allow to cool and stir in lime juice, triple sec, tequila, and food dye. Pour into a 9×12 (or equivalent) sized cake pan until about 1/2 in deep. Refrigerate until firm.

Dip the pan in warm water for 15 seconds to loosen the gelatin from the pan. Use a small cactus shaped cookie cuter (mine is 1 3/4 inches top to bottom) to cut the cactus shapes. Gently lift onto a plate or cookie sheet.

Cut Twizzlers into little pieces and garnish as cactus blooms.

To help celebrate Easter at Katharine’s Easter Champagne Brunch party this weekend, I concocted these little Cadbury Creme Egg inspired jello shots. Jello jiggler style chocolate eggs cut from a tiny egg shaped cookie cutter are spiked with a generous amount of Irish Cream and topped with a sweetened condensed milk yoke. These super fun little treats are sure to be a big hit. Have a Happy Easter!

Egg layer:

2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
2 cups milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup Irish cream liqueur

In a saucepan, sprinkle gelatin evenly over milk and allow the gelatin to absorb the milk for two minutes. Over medium heat, whisk together milk and gelatin followed by the cocoa and sugar. Bring just to a boil and remove from heat and continue string until it begins to cool. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in the Irish cream. Pour into a pan (I used a 9 x 13 inch baking pan) so the mixture is 1/2 inch deep. Refrigerate overnight until firm.

Dip the pan in warm water for 15 seconds to loosen the gelatin from the pan. Use a small egg shaped cookie cuter (mine is 1 1/2 inches top to bottom) to cut the eggs. Gently lift onto a plate or cookie sheet.

White/Yoke layer:

1 tablespoon (1 envelope) of unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
yellow food dye

In a bowl, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Stir in the boiling water until gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir in sweetened condensed milk until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a pan (I used a 9 inch diameter cake pan) until the mixture is 1/8 of an inch deep. Refrigerate overnight until firm. (You may have some extra mixture, just refrigerate that and have it as a snack later.)

Dip the pan in warm water for 15 seconds to loosen the gelatin from the pan. Use a tiny round cookie cuter (I made one from stiff plastic and tape- its 3/4 of an inch in diameter) to cut the egg whites. Gently place them on top of the chocolate eggs.

Mix a couple of drops of yellow food dye with a few drips of water and, using a tiny paint brush, paint the yoke in the center of each egg white. Refrigerate to let the yellow dye dry and serve. Makes about 48 jello shots.

It wouldn’t be St. Patty’s Day without some green jello shots! For this year’s drunken festivities, I decided to take it a step further with these little Peppermint Patty treats. Made with sweetened condensed milk and sitting atop a chocolate wafer, Peppermint Schnapps give these mini jellos their flavor and a little kick. Check out the recipe to make your own and don’t drink too much green beer this weekend!

2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups boiling water
3/4 cup cold peppermint schnapps
3 drops green food dye
1 cups sweetened condensed milk
Chocolate wafer cookies

In a bowl, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup of the cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water.  Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the boiling water until gelatin is fully dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature and stir in the peppermint schnapps.  Stir in the food dye.  Separate 3/4 cup of the mixture and pour it evenly into small molds. Refrigerate until gelatin is set but not firm (Should stick to the finger when touched.)

Meanwhile, stir sweetened condensed milk into the remaining mixture until it is smooth. Gently spoon into the molds over the first layer. Refrigerate until firm. Unmold and serve atop a chocolate wafer.

Nothing says loving like some jiggly jello. Impress your date this Valentine’s day with this tasty, boozy treat.  Alternating layers of white chocolate and strawberry spiked with whipped cream flavored vodka is sure to put your sweetie in the mood. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!

2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup boiling water
1 (3 ounce) packages of strawberry gelatin
1/2 cup cold milk
3/4 cup whipped cream flavored vodka

Heart shaped red sprinkles to garnish.

In a saucepan, sprinkle 2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of gelatin evenly over 1 1/2 cups of the milk and allow the gelatin to absorb the milk for two minutes. Bring milk just to a boil while whisking the gelatin into the milk, careful not to let the milk boil over.  Stir in the sugar and reduce heat to medium. Stir in white chocolate chips and whisk until chips and melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile in a bowl, stir boiling water into strawberry gelatin until gelatin is fully dissolved. Stir in vodka. Allow to cool to room temperature and stir in 1/2 cup of the milk.

In a 1 1/2 in deep and 8 in diameter round cake pan (or equivalent sized Tupperware containers) pour in the strawberry gelatin mixture to until about 1/4 inch deep. Refrigerate until gelatin is set but not firm (gelatin should be nearly firm but still stick to you finger when touched). Pour in white chocolate mixture over the strawberry layer until about 1/4 in thick. Refrigerate until gelatin is set but not firm. Repeat these steps to create 4 layers.

Refrigerate until firm or overnight. Dip the pan in warm water for 15 second to loosen the gelatin and unmold onto a cookie sheet. Use small cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Peal away excess gelatin. Garnish with sprinkles and serve.

Makes about 20 jello shots (depending on the size of the cookie cutters). If you want to make more simply double the recipe.

A couple of years ago for the Chinese New Year I made a Year of the Rabbit jello. According the the Chinese Zodiac, this year begins the Year of the Snake. I don’t have a snake mold so I used this goldfish mold to symbolize surplus in the new year. I made a traditional Chinese dessert recipe of almond gelatin and mandarin oranges with a red cherry eyeball. The red symbolizes good luck. The Year of the Snake begins on February 10th and if you are like me and you were born in 1965, 1977, 1989, or 2001 this is your year!

Sadly the holidays are over and now all we have to look forward to is a long, cold winter… and jello! An adult version of the classic childhood favorite, this pudding from scratch is made with ripe banana, sweetened condensed milk, and a splash of bourbon. Spiced with cinnamon and garnished with mini vanilla wafers, the flavor is sweet and warm. This dessert is perfect for keeping warm during those longer winter months.

Bourbon Banana Pudding

2 tablespoons (2 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
1/2 cup cold water
1 boiling water
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 cup milk or soymilk
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup cold bourbon
1 cup (2 or 3) ripe bananas, sliced

In a bowl, sprinkle gelatin evenly over cold water and allow the gelatin to absorb the water for two minutes. Stir boiling water into gelatin until gelatin is fully dissolved.  Stir in cinnamon, and sugar.  Transfer mixture to a blender and blend with bananas, milk, sweetened condensed milk, and bourbon. Refrigerate until thickened. Spoon into a 4 cup mold. Refrigerate until firm. Unmold and serve.

Click here for the recipe…

Inspired by Margarita, my Puerto Rican con-worker (at my non-jello day job), and her annual holiday offering of Coquito, Puerto Rico’s version of eggnog, I made a Coquito Jello for this year’s office holiday party. Loaded to the gills with rum (at least the way Margarita makes it) it has a creamy base of coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk and is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Intoxicatingly delicious!  See the recipe below and have a Merry Christmas!

3 tablespoons (3 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
2 cups coconut milk
1 ½ cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup white rum

In a saucepan, sprinkle gelatin evenly over the coconut milk and allow the gelatin to absorb the coconut milk for 2 minutes. Whisk gelatin into the coconut milk while bringing it to a boil, careful not to let it boil over. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk and water until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the spices and vanilla. Allow to cool to room temperature and then stir in the rum. Refrigerate until it cools and begins to thicken. Stir again to evenly distribute any spices that may have settled to the top or bottom and then gently spoon into a 4 to 5 cup mold. Refrigerate overnight. Unmold and serve.