Let me explain. Like many kitchen misadventures, this started with a wayward gchat with Kelly. She and I are so excited to be podcasting again. When had to take some time off so I could get my health right, but there will be a new episode of Alphabet Soup tomorrow and we’re celebrating with girl scout cookie shots. As you do. Here’s how that happened:
So, you can see how quickly we went from zero to girl scout cookie shots. On the show, we talk about food, writing, blogging, cooking, and–with surprising frequency–jello. We’ve heard that one of listeners’ favorite segments is called “Recipe for Disaster,†which is like Name That Tune but with retro and vintage recipes. Hence, the frequency with which we end up talking about gelatin.
When we recorded tomorrow’s episode, Kelly and I both agreed to both make girl scout cookie shots for the occasion. She’s sharing the recipe for her samoa shots over on Kelly Bakes today. Well, if you listen tomorrow you’ll hear the story of just how much of a hot mess (literally!) mine was. To redeem myself and to pay tribute to jello, the spirit animal of the Alphabet Soup Podcast, I took another stab at it and made these samoa girl scout cookie jello shots.
I actually did a pretty serious amount of jello shot research before making these. This jello shot primer from The Kitchn and this piece about the science of jello shots from Serious Drinks proved to be the most helpful. If you listen to the podcast, you know I can be pretty frugal, so I wasn’t about to go out and buy a bunch of flavored vodka just to make these. Instead, I relied on pantry ingredients to recreate the coconut, chocolate, and caramel flavors of the samoa cookie in a shot. It turned out to be a really fun little experiment! Be sure to check out Kelly’s version too.
We’d love if you joined us by subscribing to the podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher. We’re also on Google+ and twitter. Our new episode will be up tomorrow and we hope you listen. Until then, fancy jello shots.
- For the first layer:
- 1 cup coconut water
- 2 envelopes knox gelatin
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vodka
- For the second layer:
- 1 cup coconut water
- 2 envelopes knox gelatin
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons chocolate extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 cup vodka
- For assembly:
- non-stick cooking spray
- toasted coconut flakes for garnish (optional)
- For assembly:
- Spray 32 mini muffin tins with non-stick spray then wipe with a paper towel to remove excess oil. Set aside.
- For the first layer:
- Pour the coconut water in a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer over the top. Let it set for 5 minutes to hydrate.
- Add the brown sugar to the coconut water and gelatin and cook over medium heat, stirring until the gelatin and sugar are dissolved, 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the salt and vodka.
- Using a tablespoon measure, spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into each muffin tin.
- Refrigerate while you prepare the next layer.
- For the second layer:
- Pour the coconut water in a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin in an even layer over the top. Let it set for 5 minutes to hydrate.
- Add the sugar to the coconut water and gelatin and cook over medium heat, stirring until the gelatin and sugar are dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the chocolate extract, vodka, and heavy cream.
- Test the first layer by touching it with your finger. It’s ready for the next layer when it is firm, but the top is still a bit sticky. For me, it was ready by the time I had finished preparing the 2nd layer. You’ll be surprised how fast it sets up.
- Using a tablespoon measure, spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into each muffin tin.
- Refrigerate for another 4 hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, unmold the shots and garnish with toasted coconut flakes if desired
About autumn
Autumn Giles is the creator of Autumn Makes & Does and the co-host of the Alphabet Soup Podcast.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I am so in awe of these. I keep staring at how the light reflects upon their surface. I’m so proud of you for capturing our beautiful, gelatinous spirit animals so well. And for not judging me (too much) for my shot choices in college. (Just like how I don’t judge you too much for not owning a shot glass 😉 xoxo
Wow, you went hardcore with the jell-o shots, Autumn! They look fantastic!
Hahaha! Thanks, Jenn. Honestly, I was initially a bit horrified at the prospect of trying out Jello shots (I had never made them before!), but it ended up being really fun.
Jello is totally the podcast spirit animal – love that! These jello shots are so ambitious and beautiful!
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