Let The Shenanigans Begin!

This Saturday is St. Patrick’s Day, a day when – no matter what our nationality – we adopt the luck of the Irish and celebrate in style – usually with the obligatory pint of Guinness in hand!

Americans are probably the nationality who celebrate this day the most – outside of the Irish, of course – with the city of Chicago turning its’ entire river green for the occasion. Here in Seattle, the St. Patrick’s Day Dash is a huge event. In fact it’s Seattle’s largest fun run and fills the streets with a sea of runners all dressed up in green fancy dress.

But we needn’t feel guilty for “stealing” this celebration from the Irish. Even though Saint Patrick is the Patron Saint of Ireland, he was actually a Christian missionary who had the job of converting Ireland to Christianity and wasn’t actually Irish – hurrah, that surely warrants another pint of the black stuff!

Despite being the perfect excuse to indulge in a tipple or two, St. Patrick’s Day revelry doesn’t have to revolve around alcohol. That’s why today’s recipe, a jelly dessert made in the colours of the Irish flag, is a child-friendly jelly dessert – although you can sneak in some vodka if you want to make an adult version.

To make my jelly shots, I used these great silicone kitchen utensils from the new Tovolo Elements range. Not only are they heat-safe and perfect for dissolving the jelly powder in boiling water, but their bright lime green colour really put me in the mood for St Patrick’s Day!

You can buy items from the Tovolo Elements range – and others! – from the Arugula & Rocket Store in the UK and Europe, or go to http://www.tovolo.com for details of where to buy in the USA.

Ingredients:

1 Packet of Lime Jelly
1 Packet of Orange Jelly
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Pack of Gelatin
1½ Cups Vodka (adult version only)
1 Can of Whipped Cream (optional)
Green/Orange Sweets or Sprinkles (for decoration, optional)

You’ll also need 4 glass dessert cups or 12 clear plastic shot glasses for serving.

Instructions For Kid-Friendly Version (Alcohol-Free):

Place the lime jelly powder in a bowl, add one cup of boiling water and stir for two minutes until the jelly powder has completely dissolved.

Pour into the bowls/shot glasses until a third full.

Chill in the fridge until set (approximately 20 minutes).

In a small bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk with one cup of boiling water. 

In a separate bowl, and ¼ cup of cold water and sprinkle over one pack of gelatin. Set aside for 1 minute.

Add ½ cup boiling water to the gelatin mix and stir well. Then add the gelatin mixture to the milk mixture and stir together.

Pour the milk mixture on top of the lime jelly, filling each bowl/glass to another third full.

Chill in the fridge until set (approximately 20 minutes).

Place the orange jelly powder in a bowl, add one cup of boiling water and stir for two minutes until the jelly powder has completely dissolved.

Pour on top of the milk layer, filling each of the bowls/shot glasses to the top.

Chill in the fridge until set (approximately 20 minutes).

Before serving, top with some whipped cream and decorate with your orange and green sweets/sprinkles.

Instructions For Adult Version (With Vodka):

Place the lime jelly powder into a bowl with one cup of boiling water and stir for two minutes until the jelly powder has completely dissolved.

Add ¾ cup of vodka to a bowl and ¼ cup of cold water and stir to combine.

Pour into the bowls/shot glasses until a third full.

Chill in the fridge until set (approximately 20 minutes).

In a small bowl, combine the sweetened condensed milk with one cup of boiling water. 

In a separate bowl, and ¼ cup of cold water and sprinkle over one pack of gelatin. Set aside for 1 minute.

Add ½ cup boiling water to the gelatin mix and stir well. Then add the gelatin mixture to the milk mixture and stir together.

Pour the milk mixture on top of the lime jelly, filling each bowl/glass to another third full.

Chill in the fridge until set (approximately 20 minutes).

Place the orange jelly powder into a bowl with one cup of boiling water and stir for two minutes until the jelly powder has completely dissolved.

Add ¾ cup of vodka to a bowl and ¼ cup of cold water and stir to combine.

Pour on top of the milk layer, filling each of the bowls/shot glasses to the top.

Chill in the fridge until set (approximately 20 minutes).

Before serving, top with some whipped cream and decorate with your orange and green sweets/sprinkles.