Shamrock Jelly Treats - is being cute the same as being lucky?
Shamrock Jelly Treats. They're mean (well, not really but I need that for rhyming purposes), they're green, they're tiny little St. Patty's Day treats. Non-alcoholic, or shall I say POTENTIALLY non-alcoholic. I did post boozified directions under the recipe. These little guys were created for Women's World (as were the Pistachio Pudding Shots I posted earlier today ...)
Now, what do you think: is the name too schmaltzy? I get a bit hung up on the whole St. Patty's Day thing. Here in the States, the holiday is merely an excuse to drink, have parades, and pinch or kiss strangers. However, my Irish-from-Ireland friends always shake their heads when they see posts like this. (Lucky-tini of the Irish from a couple years ago fared no better with that crowd.) So, Mr. F., I post this with apologies to your good-natured and adorable Irish self.
With that said, when in Rome (or in this case Chicago, Boston or Minneapolis, or really anywhere in the lower 48 states) well ... you know what to do. That's right! Dye something green, put on your shamrock print bloomers, violate the personal space of attractive strangers, shake your shamrock, dance a jig and make night of it!
XOXOX
M.
P.S. Back soon with something F-U-N FUN fun, which is still in testing stages.
P.P.S. Mr. F., please do let me know if you need a care package of green food coloring sent to Singapore. I'll pop a passel in the FedEx right away.
St. Patty’s Day
Jelly Treats
Ingredients:
Green Layer
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 package lime flavored gelatin dessert (3 oz package, and note that sugar-free dissolves very easily)
- 1/2 cup cold water
Light Green Layer
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 1/2 envelopes Knox gelatin (each envelope contains 2 tsp gelatin powder)
- 1 6 oz key lime flavor yogurt
Chartreuse Layer
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 1 envelope less 1/2 tsp Knox gelatin
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 drops yellow food color
- 1 drop green food coloring
Directions
A flexible silicone mold works great for this recipe (I used a mini-brioche mold similar to this one - don't fill it all the way up) but they are just as cute set in a 1 lb 8"x4" non-reactive baking pan (or similar) and cut into little squares. To prepare the mold, spray lightly with
cooking spray, then wipe each mold cavity clean with a paper towel. This leaves a slight residue to aid in un-molding the gelatin, without affecting the taste or
appearance of the jellies. If setting in a glass or non-reactive metal
baking pan, no prep is needed.
Green Layer. Dissolve lime gelatin in boiling water. Add
cold water. Pour into each mold cavity (to about one third full). Refrigerate
until firm but not fully set - gelatin should be set, but slightly sticky when
touched - about 20 to 30 minutes. Prepare Light Green Layer.
Light Green Layer. Pour water into small saucepan. Sprinkle
with gelatin and allow to soak for a minute or two. Heat over low heat,
stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from
heat and stir in yogurt. Allow to cool to room temperature. Fill each mold
cavity to about 2/3 capacity. Refrigerate until firm but not fully set (gelatin
should be set, but slightly sticky when touched - about 20 to 30 minutes).
Prepare Chartreuse Layer.
Chartreuse Layer. Pour water into a small saucepan and
sprinkle with gelatin. Allow to soak for a minute or two. Heat over low heat,
stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved (about 5 minutes). Stir in the
sweetened condensed milk. Allow to cool to room temperature. Fill to top of
each mold cavity..
Refrigerate several hours (ideally overnight to
allow the layers to bond), until fully set. To unmold, loosen around the edges and then
pop each gelatin out onto a serving plate or a non-stick cookie sheet. NOTE: For a higher octane (i.e. alcoholic) St. Patty's Day treat, make these changes to the recipe:
Green Layer
- INSTEAD of 1/2 cup cold water, sub 1/2 cup vodka or rum (try coconut rum ... yum!)
Chartreuse Layer
- ADD 1/3 cup vodka or rum (whatever you put in in the Green layer step)
- REDUCE the sweetened condensed milk down to a tablespoon or two.
