euro 2016 : vodka cocktail jelly shots

• use a silicone mold with small mini openings and brush very lightly with a neutral vegetable oil and wipe clean with a paper towel (to better unmold them) and place on a rigid tray

note : I used 1 silicone mold with 15 openings, each measuring 4 cm in diameter x 2 cm in height and 25 ml in volume (total volume of mold = 375 ml … but you can use other shapes or little plastic cups too !

• place the gelatin sheets in cold water and let sit for 10 minutes until softened

note : gelatin is tricky and it exists in powdered form (which is grainy and does not always dissolve as well) or in sheet form which exist in different sizes, some weighing 1 gram or 1,5 grams or up to 2 grams, read the package instructions carefully ; I wanted a firmer jelly shot that would hold its shape longer and solidify quicker so I increased the recommended dose indicated on the package instructions by 50% ; normally, you need 6 grams per 240 ml of liquid ; ideally for this recipe, you should use 12 grams of gelatin sheets per cup or 240 ml total of liquid (especially when it has been combined with 1/3 of a strong alcohol such as vodka) which is why I used 18 grams for about 375 ml or over 1½ cups of liquid but you can also increase it to 24 grams for a firmer & faster result …

• heat the tonic or lemonade carbonated soda, add extra lime/lemon juice and sugar if or a sweetened fruit syrup and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and add softened gelatin sheets (after you squeeze out the excess water) and whisk until completely dissolved for 1-2 minutes
• add chilled vodka, stir and divide among several smaller bowls or cups (depending on the number of colours you wish to create)
• add several drops of food colouring to each (about 4 drops per 2 tbsp or 30 ml of liquid) to create the colour choices and stir

note : I have 3 vials of red, blue & yellow food colouring ; red+yellow = orange ; yellow+blue = green ; blue+red = purple ; red+yellow+green = black ; or no food colouring for transparent white …

• carefully pour the coloured jelly liquid into the mold cavities and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours until fully set
• unmold carefully 1-2 hours before serving, by placing the silicone mold in a pan of warm water for 30 seconds and then pop them out, place on a piece of waxed paper on a chilled plate and refrigerate again until ready
• stack them to create colored flag combinations and consume within the hour or refrigerate again (you can also serve them on a bed of crushed ice) …