Jelly Shot Recipes | Jelly Shot Test Kitchen (2024)

Whiskey Sour,

or Purple Hooter . . .

Did you prefer a Berry Blue,
or did you shout for Malibu?

Back in the day,we were all about the Kamikazi (cranberry OR regular) and the over-sized Whiskey Sour. Oh the head hurts to think of it! What were the favorite shooters or mixed drinksat your alma mater?

Email JSTK to nominateyour collegiate co*cktail favorites for entry into the Halls of Gelatin! We will create and post a Jelly Shot recipe for the crowd favorite. Vote Early! Vote Often!

Cheers,

JSTK

Labels:Berry Blue , Halls of Gelatin , Kamikaze , Malibu Rum , Purple Hooter , Tequila Shooter , Wannabe Suessical Attempts at Poetry , Whiskey Sour

Gin & Juice Jelly Shots

Oh, the Gin& Juice shot, so refreshing, but so tricky to formulate! It is a fo shizzlefact that grapefruit juice's puckersome characteristics are more pleasant in liquid than solid form.We completely jettisonedVersion 1of Gin& Juice (a horror show! we refused to circulate it on test plates!). For Version 2 of this shot, we used acitrus juice blendas well as a hearty dose of simple syrup. Still, this shot was love-it-or-leave-it, even among the hard core gin lovers. Version 3 added agave nectar,fora touch oflow-key additional sweetness while maintaining the integrity of the grapefruit flavor. We plated Version 3 along side Version 2 for testers, and Version 3 was a tester favorite. (In a pinch, in the absence of agave,another dose of simple syrup would also suffice. )

Cheers, JSTK

Labels:Fo Shizzle , Gin and Juice , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Puckersome , To Agave or Not To Agave. . .

I love a gin and tonic. On a patio. In the sun. It is truly the perfect 'mid-afternoon-watch-the-sailboats-drift by' drink. Even if you have to make up the sailboat part and just watch the world drift by. As the G&T and I are involved in a long-term, unending summer love affair, it is only to be expected I imagine that I'm having a hard time picking final images from the proofs.

Taste wise, this is a delightful jelly shot with a really lovely, delicate texture. We're working on how to best incorporate the required lime garnish - it may be candied....it may not be!

Gin & Tonic Jelly Shots

Gin & Tonic Jelly Shots

Gin & Tonic Jelly Shots

We're still assembling feedback from the latest rounds of testing. Stay tuned. We'll be back on Tuesday with another update.

Labels:GandT how do I love thee , Gin and Tonic , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Malaria Resistance

The following article (see link below) was printed in the LA Times back in 2007. In addition to providing an interesting take on jelly shots in theAngelino restaurant scene (and beyond . . . way waybeyond, i.e. spotlighting culinary pioneers who are pushing the co*cktail envelope to the limit), the author includes recipes for blueberry martini shots and other jellied delights! Enjoy!

http://www.latimes.com/features/printedition/food/la-fo-co*cktails10oct10,0,7424336.story

Cheers, JSTK

Labels:Blueberry Martini , co*cktail Pioneer , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Jelly Shots in the News , LA Times

Contestants for the 9/12 Test Plates

Pictured: Margarita, Tequila Sunrise, Key Lime Pie & Washington Apple

My oh my . . . tester feedback is piling up! The September 12, 2009 batch of plates contained five flavors, four brand new recipes and a revamped Tequila Sunrise (using juice from concentrate rather than fresh squeezed). Here's what our testers thought:

• Margarita - For this shot, we modified a classic margarita recipe and used 100% agave white tequila with alarge crystal sugar garnish to allow for a true to life mouth feel of a margarita (i.e. the salty glass rim). While testers agreed that a few crystals of salt could be accomodated with no ill effects, most felt that a full on salt garnish would be too literal a translation and bring the drink to the knife edge of well, a. . . savory aspic. Although all our testers liked this shot, some felt the gelatin medium certainly increased the intensity of the tequila flavor. One tester surmised, ". . .perhaps use a touch less [tequila], or increase the cointreau, lime and simple syrup," which we have duly noted.
• Key Lime Martini - This shot was a fairly literal interpretation of the key lime martini. We suspected that the amount of alcohol (significant) in this shot might result in something close to the 'lemon drop incident" of earlier this month (as referenced in previous posts, although we owe this unfortunate series of events its own headline in blogland - if nothing else a cautionary tale for jelly shooters everywhere). As such, we used Roses lime juice instead of fresh, and added a heathy dose of simple syrup to the mix. While most testers thought this shot was good, they alsofound it to be on the tart sideand indicated it would "benefit from a little sweetness".
  

Key Lime Martini Jelly Shots

• Key Lime Pie Martini -It had a lime layer, it had a pie layer, and we alsosent alonga graham cracker crumb garnish for dipping (the crumbs provided a lovely soft, sweet counterpoint to the shots lime and cream layers). It was "Yum!", "Yum!" and "Yummy!"across the board - this shot was universally loved by the testing panel, and we must admit it is at the headof the class for us as well.
• Washington Apple - A brilliant and tasty suggestion from a tester. We couldn't stop ourselves - photos of this adorable and delicious shot were already posted, several days ago (well ahead of this writing).The Washington Appleshot deemed a successbythe majority of our tasting panel, apart a few testers who did not care for the slight whiskey finish at the end of the shot. However, the dissenting testers were upfront about their lack of appreciation for that caramel colored spirit in general. Whiskey drinkers, on the other hand, rejoiced! Declared the shot was "perfect", and "better than candy". You know who you are!
  
• Tequila Sunrise II - While we are always advocates for using freshest and best ingredients, this shot was just as delightful, but not identical, using juice from concentrate. The concentrate version was slightly more acidic than the fresh squeezed, and the tequila taste was also slightly stronger as a result, as pointed out by a tester. However, these imperfections are easily rectified with certain adjustmentsfor type of juice, desired octane level and sweetness.

A million thanks to our astute and generous testing panel for sacrificing their delicate palates in the name of jelly shot science! More to come!

Cheers, JSTK

Labels:Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Key Lime Martini , Key Lime Pie Martini , Lemon Drop , Lemon Drop Incident , Margarita , Tequila Sunrise , Tester Feedback , Washington Apple

Jelly Shots, Ready to Roll

Who is Jelly Shot Test Kitchen?

We are two sisters with a shared love of food, co*cktails and inappropriately tall shoes. Between the two of us, we have lived the lives of Investment Banker, Software Manager, Photographer, Hedge Fund Maven, Al Bundy Shoe Store Slave, twice Economics students as well as countless others that we've forgotten or deeply repressed.

What are Jelly Shots?

Remember college Jello-Shots? The dixie cups filled with Jell-O brand gelatin, strong spirits and whipped cream? Jelly Shots are a grown-up, sophisticated version of this phenom, sans cups of course. Using the original concept as a spring board, classic co*cktails are reinvented into their new, sassy gelatin selves. The hallmarks of a successful jelly shot include: true flavor rendition of the original boozy libation and a free-spirited jiggling form that makes them a joy to devour.

Why Jelly Shots?

Why Not? Who doesn't love the fun of a jiggling co*cktail? Taking a pedestrian jello-shot and turning it into something sublime is our ever beckoning, if somewhat eccentric, Homeric quest.

Is it appropriate to toastmy fellow diners with a Jelly Shot?

Yes, of course! Toasting has a long tradition and is a mark of respect to host and guests. Not sure what to do? Grasp your jelly shot between thumb and forefinger, and either "clink" it with your neighbor's shot as if it were a glass of champagne or simply raise an "air toast" with appropriate salutation (e.g. cheers, salut, chin chin). Note that in some cultures it is important to make direct eye contact when raising your glass, errr . . . cube, that is. The same rules apply here.

Where in the world is the Test Kitchen?

Labels:Edina , FAQs , Homeric Quest , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Toasting

The Washington Apple jelly shot, interpreted from a tester's favorite co*cktail recipe,performed like a star in its Test Kitchen debut over the weekend. Testers enjoyed the shot's curb appeal just as much as its refreshing taste. After viewing the photos below, we have to agree - imagine an entireplatter of these adorable apple-y cubes, ormixed in with Green Apple Martinis or Apfelcorn Fizz (another reader suggestion) for a little apple medley jelly shot action.

Have a favorite co*cktail you'd like to submit?

Washington Apple Jelly Shots

Cheers,

JSTK

Images and content :

This work by http://www.blogger.com/www.jelly-shot-test-kitchen.com is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Labels:Apfelcorn Fizz , Green Apple Martini , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Washington Apple

Labels:Annie Liebovitz , Baileys Coffee , Halls of Gelatin , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Key Lime Pie Martini , Photography , Self Aggrandizing Madness , Tequila Sunrise

A test plate with shots & garnish getting prepped for the road

Tester feedback regarding the September 10, 2009 Tasting Menu is in! Five shot varieties were distributed to testers, including four new recipes (Chocolate Martini, White Chocolate Martini, Grasshopper, and Sambuca) and one refurbished recipe (Dreamsicle II).

A lesson learned is that a forty minute drive time outside of a cooler adversely affects the texture and surprisingly, the taste, of several of these

The Grasshopper Jelly Shot, after much toil, worry and reformulation (the pastel rubber debacle of earlier this week), was a home run across the board. Even the two dissenting martini shot testers enjoyed the Grasshopper, texture at room temperature aside. Hurrah!

Not surprisingly, the black licorice-flavored Sambuca Jelly Shot (a crystal clear shot peppered with slivers of black Twizzler) was love-it-or-leave-it for testers. Additionally, the texture of the shot was less than firm due to its high alcohol content (no mixers were used), and as a result the shot was very difficult to consume. Still many testers enjoyed this shot. "Yummy . . . more gelatin [needed], fell apart, stuck to bottom. LOVE THE LICORICE!", exclaimed one tester. "I am not a big licorice fan but I do like how this tastes. I frankly like it better than a shot of Sambuca," said another. Other testers were less than amused. "What's the black stuff? Looks like eyeballs!"

Regarding Dreamsicle Jelly Shot II, all the testers agreed that the orange taste was brightened in this go round. Unfortunately, the reformulation led to overall aesthetic difficulties, as well as a negative impact on mouth feel of the cream layer (i.e. making it rather cement like). Back to the drawing board we go!!

Thanks to all the testers for their feedback. In response, for certain of the dessert shots, we hypothesize that the alcohol could be reduced by half, and replaced with milk, if desired. Also, in addition to upping the gelatin level in the Sambuca, we are exploring alternative varieties of internal garnish to avoid the dreaded optical effect in the next version of this jelly shot.

Our next tasting is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2009. We expect to have five varieties prepped for testers, including: Margarita; Key Lime Martini, Key Lime Pie Martini; Washington Apple; and Tequila Sunrise III.

Cheers! JSTK

Labels:Chocolate Martini , Dreamsicle , Garnish Gone Bad , Grasshopper , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Sambuca , Tester Feedback , White Chocolate Martini

Busy night at the Jelly Shot Test Kitchen! Earlier this week, we were very excited to attempt the Grasshopper, Chocolate Martini and White Chocolate Martini. All three crashed and burned in a horrific twisted pile of pastel rubbery mayhem. At least that's how it felt. After adjusting our gelatin ratios to accommodate certain of the lower proof dessert liqueurs, and a few other small tweaks here and there, we are hopeful about our latest interpretations of these co*cktails. And we do mean interpretations - while Jelly Shot Test Kitchen's aim is to adhere to classic formulas and ratios, sometimes even the most beautifully constructed co*cktail recipe just doesn't translate into a jelly shot. As such, tonight's versions of the Grasshopper, Chocolate Martini and White Chocolate Martini are renditions, which will hopefully will transfer more successfully to the gelatin medium.

Also revamped tonight was the Dreamsicle Jelly Shot, a combination of orange juice, Cointreau, vodka, and cream - our own interpretation/modification of the Orangesicle co*cktail (which has no dairy). Although palatable, and admittedly a very pretty shot (slightly marbled orange and white), Testers found the first Dreamsicle lacking the burst of orange sherbet-y goodness one might desire from a jelly shot thus named. The second attempt was revamped to be orangey-er and creamier while maintaining its alcohol punch.

Newly formulated tonight at the Kitchen is the Sambuca Jelly Shot, which uses an experimental gelatinizing method with zero mixers.

All in all, an exciting slate of Jelly Shots on the menu this week! We look forward to feedback from our Jelly Shot Testers . . .

Cheers! JSTK

Labels:Chocolate Martini , Dreamsicle , Grasshopper , Jello Shot , Jelly Shot , Rubbery Mayhem , Sambuca , Tester Feedback , White Chocolate Martini