Manhattan Jello Shots

Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar – Day 24 – Manhattan Jello Shots. I wanted to pay homage to the midcentury affection for gelatin. These Manhattan jello shots are boozy little flavour bombs for your Christmas Eve enjoyment.

I’m not going to lie to you, these little guys pack a punch. Don’t eat too many or you might end up under the table instead of at the table this Christmas Eve.

I am relieved and excited to have finally reached the conclusion of the 6th annual Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar. As usual, the blog traffic was bananas in December which I’m thrilled about but Instagram was particularly disappointing. My frustration continues to mount with the platform, so few of my Instagram followers were shown the daily reels/posts, in spite of subscribing to my channel to gain confidence at their home bar. The algorithm is more unknowable than ever, in spite of the Instagram powers that be instructing creators to produce content more regularly and focus on reels – my considerable efforts in producing both video and photo content for this year’s calendar has not garnered the virality or onslaught of new followers I had hoped for.

In spite of having my largest audience on Instagram amongst my social media accounts, I’m not sure whether it’s a channel where I should continue to invest my efforts. It’s clear that the aesthetic and value-driven content I’ve been focused on producing is not what the platform wants. It seems the content I produce that focuses on humour, especially couple comedy with Michael, tends to perform the best. While I enjoy making that content, it’s hard to align that with the mouth-watering visuals and cocktail focus I’ve been committed to since Day 1.

That being said, I still enjoy producing my art and am deeply proud of the quality of work I’ve created in 2024 and that I was able to pull it off amidst a challenging year, on one leg thanks to my ruptured Achilles. I’m happy to report that I’ve been cleared for all physical activity except for sports and hope to make my physical and mental health a priority in 2025. All that being said, regardless of what hurdles Instagram or other platforms may place before me, I’m keen to hear what kind of content YOU, dear reader, want to see from me in the year to come. Drop your thoughts in the comments below or send me an email at yvonne@tasteandtipple.ca.

Tune into my Instagram Stories tonight at 5 p.m. Eastern for a step-by-step cocktail tutorial on how to make these jello shots.

Cheers, friends!

Manhattan Jello Shots

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Manhattan Jello Shots

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Chilling time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

These Manhattan jello shots are boozy little flavour bombs for your Christmas Eve enjoyment.

Course: Dessert, Drinks

Cuisine: Canadian

Keyword: Let’s Get Blitzen, Manhattan, Rye, Sweet Vermouth, Vermouth, Whisky

Servings: 1 drink

Author: Yvonne Langen

Ingredients

• 1/3 jar maraschino cherries preferably with stems
• 1/3 cup gingerbread syrup
• 1 pkg 7 g unflavoured gelatin
• ½ cup rye whisky
• ¼ cup sweet vermouth
• 8 dashes Angostura bitters

Gingerbread Syrup

• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp fancy molasses
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger thinly sliced
• 1 tsp whole allspice berries
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. Drain and blot cherries with paper towel.
2. Pour gingerbread syrup into a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over top, stir to combine. Let stand for 2 minutes, until gelatin softens. Place the saucepan over low heat and stir, gently splashing around the sides of the pan until gelatin is fully dissolved. Do not boil.
3. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Stir in gelatin mixture, stirring slowly for 1 minute.
4. Arrange cherries, stems pointing up, in mini tart tins, round candy moulds, or ice cube trays. Divide mixture evenly between moulds. Refrigerate for 45 minutes or until softly set. Straighten any crooked cherry stems. Pop back in the fridge for at least 1 hour longer.
5. Unmould by dipping the bottom of moulds in lukewarm water and lift out with a rubber spatula.

Gingerbread Syrup

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently.
2. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for about 20 minutes until syrup is slightly thickened.
3. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
4. Fine strain into an airtight container.
5. Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.