3 packages unflavored gelatin (1/4 oz each)
6 oz sake
10 oz simple syrup (recipe follows)
1 tbs peeled and grated fresh ginger
12 oz vodka
6 oz fresh lime juice
Garnish:
Thinly-sliced skinny seedless cucumber (I needed one and a half cucumbers to serve, so buy extra)
Julienned candied ginger
Edible gold flakes (These were too rich for my blood, but are gorgeous in the above picture!)
The book says this recipe will make 25-30 shots, but I sliced about 45. Use your judgment to find the perfect size for you and your friends! To make this fabulous dish, spray a glass 8 x 8 inch pan with unflavored cooking spray and line it with pieces of plastic wrap. Add the gelatin to the sake in a small bowl, and let it bloom for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the simple syrup and ginger just to a boil, and remove from the heat. Add the gelatin and sake to the simple syrup mixture, and stir to completely dissolve the gelatin. Add the lime juice and vodka and stir to combine. Pour the gelatin mixture into the prepared baking dish, and cover tightly with aluminum foil so that it doesn't touch the top of the mixture. Refrigerate overnight to set (note: I made mine overnight, and brought the pan a half hour away in a plastic bag, then added it to Danny's refrigerator to re-chill, and it was fine! It didn't melt, and was nice and cold again after a half hour, proving that this is the ultimate pot luck dish!). To serve, unmold the gelatin onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cut into squares. Serve each bite on top of a thin slice of cucumber with a little piece of julienned candied ginger. Edible gold flakes optional. Enjoy!
To make simple syrup:
Boil equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan and immediately remove from heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Let cool completely, and store in the fridge for up to three months of future use.