Meet The Espresso Martini You Can Eat With A Spoon
Six months ago, if you'd told me I'd be making homemade gelatin on repeat, I would've laughed and rolled my eyes. But here we are: it's the height of summer, and I can't stop churning out these chic, grown-up jellies. They're refreshing, just sweet enough, and—thanks to the extra gelatin—have a satisfyingly firm, bouncy texture.
In Japan, coffee jelly has been a beloved treat for decades, served with whipped cream or doused with sweetened condensed milk. It has been traced back to early 19th century British cookbooks, and was mildly popular in New England, especially Boston, but never really gained traction elsewhere in America.
I discovered it earlier this summer, on a sweltering afternoon, and the idea instantly hooked me. Just like ice coffee, it is cool, fresh and satisfying—but I knew mine needed a spirited twist.
Japanese coffee jelly is basically strong coffee, water, sugar, and gelatin. It is served either alone, with whipped cream or doused in sweetened condensed milk. As good as that sounds, I thought an 'espresso martini' version would be even better.
I didn't want it to be exactly like Jell-O. I wanted the texture to be firmer, so I added twice as much gelatin which means that this is a refreshing treat that also has a bit more collagen and protein in the mix.
Because Kahlúa already has both the sugar and the coffee I decided to use that as my spirited base. I made a couple of long espressos and topped them off with enough water to equal one cup. I dissolved the gelatin in one cup of Kahlúa in a small square glass container, and heated the espresso-water mixer until it was very hot. You want part of the liquid to be quite hot but not boiling.
Once you add the hot liquid to the cool gelatin-Kahlúa mixture, you want to stir until all the gelatin is completely dissolved. Let it cool on the counter for about 15 minutes and pop it in the fridge for 5-24 hours or overnight.
By the next day, you'll have a glossy, jiggly block of boozy coffee jelly. Slice it into one-inch squares—small enough to pop into your mouth, big enough to savor.
To serve, you can keep it simple or add some decadence. I like it on the simple side either straight up, or with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream on the bottom of the dish. You can also dress it up with ice cream, chocolate shavings, a pour of heavy cream, or a drizzle of sweetened condensed milk for a richer creamier bite.
Espresso Martini Jelly
A tipsy twist on Japanese Coffee Jelly
Makes: about 4 servings
Irish Coffee Variation: Swap the Kahlúa for ¼ cup Irish whiskey, add 2 tablespoons sugar, and use 1¾ cups strong coffee Think of it as an 'Irish Jig' Jelly.
Ingredients:
1 cup Kahlúa
2 long shots of espresso plus enough water to make 1 cup
½ ounce gelatin (such as 2 envelopes of Knox gelatin)
Special equipment: 5–6 inch square glass dish, preferably with a lid
Method:
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