It’s hot. Its summer. Its National Tequila Day! (This Thursday July 24th to be specific). In my world, this means pretending to be poolside while sunbathing on my roof and knocking back some bright and sunny Tequila Sunrise Jello Shots!!! With all of goodness of the cocktail by the same name, its filled with gradient layers of OJ (that means you have these shots for breakfast), grenadine and loads of tequila. Enjoy the sunshine!
4 tablespoons (4 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin powder
2 1/2 cups orange juice (without pulp)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups clear (silver) tequila
1/2 cup of Grenadine
In a saucepan, sprinkle 4 tablespoons (4 envelopes) of unflavored gelatin over 1 cup of the orange juice and allow the gelatin to absorb the water. Over medium heat, bring the orange juice just to a boil while whisking in the gelatin until it dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar until dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature then stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of orange juice and the tequila. Reserve 2 cups of the orange juice and tequila mixture and pour the remainder into candy molds or mini jello molds. Refrigerate until gelatin is set but not firm (should stick to your finger when touched).
Meanwhile, stir 1/2 cup of the grenadine into the reserved 2 cups of the orange juice and tequila mixture. Gently spoon into the molds over the first orange juice and tequila layer. Refrigerate until firm. Unmold and serve.
The Jello Mold Mistress 
Any secret to using that petite four pan with jello? I have the same one but I failed miserably when I attempted jello in it, even with spraying Pam. I’d love to know how you got them so perfect! Thanks
Hi Meg,
If you are making jello out of the box or using unflavored gelatin, use 25% to 50% less water or more gelatin that the recipe calls for to make the jello firmer and keep its shape better. Once the jello is set, dip the pan in warm water for 20 to 30 seconds and use your finger to pull back around the edges of gelatin in each well to release the seal and gauge if the gelatin is loose enough. The place a cookie sheet over the pan and flip the whole thing over. They should slide out. If some stick in the mold, use the same technique of sliding a finger around the edges of the gelatin with the pan upside down over the cookie sheet to loosen the gelatin. It takes a bit of practice/trial and error.
Good luck! Victoria