Blackberry Cosmopolitan Jelly Shots

Blackberry Cosmo Jelly Shot, garnished with a paper-thin slice of raw cranberry and a little lime zest. (Shown with Classic Cosmo, left, and Pear Cosmo, back.)

Funny, but it seems like we were just in Cosmo-ville, oh, wait, we WERE just here (with Pear Cosmo, Mandarin Cosmo and Mango too . . .).  What can I say.  I love a Cosmo.  You must admit, although the Cosmo takes a lot of heat, it's a wonderful cocktail for entertaining - how often do you heard someone say, "oh, a Cosmo?  No thanks, I really don't like Cosmos".  Doesn't happen.
Practically everyone will drink a Cosmo - even the manliest of many men (aka my husband - the classic Cosmo is the only pink drink he will sip in public, he also mixes a mean Cosmo!)

So of course my heart skipped when Cocktail Culture featured a Blackberry Cosmo (click here for the liquid cocktail recipe).  Blackberry brandy replaces the vodka found in the traditional recipe, and gives the jelly shot its wonderful coloring. I had to amend Cocktail Culture's recipe in order to achieve the same lovely lavender shade of their liquid cocktail - switched out the regular cranberry juice for white cran and added a drop of purple food coloring.  Cocktail Culture's recipe specified Hiram Walker Blackberry brandy, but I had another brand on hand.  The brand I used was more red than purple.

Hope you enjoy Blackberry Cosmo (recipe follows) - this jelly shot is perfect for your holiday table and beyond.

Cheers, Michelle

P.S. For my U.S. readers (as well as those who somehow managed to escape our borders to the Sofra Mr. M., this means you!  I know you love a turkey and all the trimmings!) have a great Thanksgiving! I'll be back next week with holiday fun!

Blackberry Cosmopolitan Jelly Shots

Recommended Pan:  Standard Loaf Pan (approximately 8” x 4”)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white cranberry juice cocktail
• ¾ cup Blackberry brandy
• 1/8 cup frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and strained
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/4 cup Cointreau
• 2 envelopes Knox gelatin (if using molds, add 1/2 envelope additional gelatin.  1/2 envelope equals about a teaspoon of gelatin powder.) 
•  Optional, 1 drop purple food coloring (McCormick's makes one in its Neon Colors set)
• Lime zest for garnish, if desired

Pour cranberry and lime juices into a saucepan and sprinkle with gelatin.  Allow to soak for a few minutes.  Heat on low, stirring constantly, until gelatin is fully dissolved (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat.  Stir in the liquors (and, if using, the food coloring), making sure to fully incorporate.  Pour into pan, and chill until set, several hours or overnight.

To serve, cut into shapes (or unmold).  Garnish with lime zest if desired.  Makes 18 to 24 shots.

Links to the rest of the Cosmo family recipes:
Classic Cosmo
Mandarin and Mango Cosmo
Pear Cosmo

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Mimosa with Orange Flower Water

Mimosa Jelly Shots, cut with an oval cookie cutter and skewered with edible flower petals

The fourth submission for the End of Summer Cocktail survey is a no brainer.  It is so obvious in fact, that I can't believe this cocktail didn't make it into the upcoming Jelly Shot Test Kitchen Recipe book. (Good thing the recipe follows!)  So, without further aediu we present Mimosa Jelly Shot, a mildly alcoholic jelly shot, lovely on skewers, molded or cut into cubes.

Mimosa breaks two of my cardinal jelly shot rules:
1) don't gild the lily, and 2) strain to remove solids.  The Mimosa really takes to a little low-tech gilding, either in the form of muddling fresh herbs to infuse the juice, or as I have done here, adding a drop of orange flower water.  When it comes to rule number 2, straining, I'm not sure if its the texture of the word "pulp" itself that I don't care for, but if you haven't noticed that I am usually an absolute nut about straining, consider yourself warned.  Regardless, the Mimosa jelly shot benefits from retention of (. . . hmmm, how can I put this without using p-u-l-p . . . ) the "character" of the juice.

And speaking of juice, fresh squeezed is specified in the recipe - it really does make a difference.  (Honestly though, I buy the little bottles of fresh squeezed at my local supermarket, rather than juicing my own -  much more time effective.)  If using juice from concentrate - that's okay, just make sure its top notch.  If it tastes a little flat or sour, add a little extra sugar to the recipe, or a tablespoon of frozen orange juice concentrate if you have it handy.

Mimosa Jelly Shot
I ascribe to Ina Garten's garnishing philosophy- garnish according to the actual flavorings used in preparation of the item. Mimosa Jelly Shot contains a drop of orange flower water, and as such is garnished with flower petals (if only I had actual orange flowers, but I live in MN and its September . . . so no luck).  Another fun and delicious variation of the Mimosa is to muddle fresh herbs with the orange juice and omit the orange flower water - in that case, an herb leaf garnish would be adorable.  

Recommended Pan:  9x9 cake pan

• 1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 envelopes Knox gelatin
• 1 1/2 cups champagne
• 1 drop orange flower water, if desired
• Edible flower petals for garnish, if desired

Pour juice and sugar into a small saucepan and sprinkle with the gelatin. Allow the gelatin to soak for a minute or two. Heat over very low heat until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.  Stir in the champagne.  Mixture will be foamy - don't worry, this will dissipate as the mixture sets.  Add the drop of orange flower water if desired. Pour mixture into pan  and place in refrigerator to cool. 

To serve, cut into desired shapes.  Garnish with edible flower petals, if desired.

Makes 24 to 32 jelly shots.   

Cheers,

Michelle

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