• Berrylicious boozy jelly squares are a delicious spike on traditional American jello. Buying the best-quality fruit juice you can find will make a real difference. Serve on a tray filled with ice so the jellies don’t melt. If you don’t fancy vodka, replace with another white spirit of your choice.

    Berrylicious boozy jelly squares

    Serves: Makes 25 squares
    Cooking Time: 30 mins + extra for setting

    Ingredients

    • 200g ( 1 cup) sugar
    • 700ml berry juice
    • 6 sheets gelatine or, if using
    • powdered, use 25ml (5 tsp)
    • 250ml (1 cup) vodka

    Instructions

    1

    In a small saucepan, add the sugar and 300ml of the fruit juice. Stir over low heat until the sugar has dissolved, but not boiling. Remove from the heat.

    2

    Soak the gelatine sheets in about 500ml – 750ml (2 – 3 cups) of cold water. Allow to stand for a few minutes until the sheets are completely softened. If using gelatine powder, sprinkle over 100ml of cold water. Allow to stand until the gelatine has absorbed the water and resembles a sponge. Place in a pan of hot water for a few minutes until it melts, then add to the fruit juice.

    3

    Remove and squeeze out any excess liquid, then add to the fruit juice and sugar mixture. Stir until the sheets have completely dissolved.

    4

    Add this to the remaining fruit juice in a large bowl and stir in the vodka.

    5

    Line a 20cm x 20cm tin with plastic wrap, then pour in the fruit juice mixture. Refrigerate until set, about 4 – 5 hours.

    6

    To remove, turn the jelly out onto a board, remove the plastic wrap and cut into squares – depending on the size of your spoons, the cubes will vary. We cut 5 x 5 to make 25 squares.

    7

    Serve the vodka berry squares on spoons laid on a tray of ice.