Romancing the Stone
The Best Fruits of Summer
2009-06-19
By Courtney Nzeribe

When one thinks of gelatin molds, one thinks of retro recipes that smack Americana. But did you know Mexico is one of the largest consumers of gelatin? They have taken gelatin, and have created a mini cottage industry of it and raised it to an art form. Gelatinas are elaborate layered productions that can even have visual effects like flowers appear on the inside. When you cut into it, its pure gelatin. Mexico also incorporates many of their Gelatinas with milk or condensed milk that makes a creamy rich dessert. In fact Gelatinas are used instead of birthday cakes! Gelatin desserts are actually a good option for dessert lovers as they start fat free and low in calories. Then it depends on what’s added. Cooling and refreshing, gelatin based desserts are perfect for summer. If you are a vegetarian, play with agar agar, which comes from the sea and has a slightly different texture.

Cherry Bombe

Equipment needed 1 mold or bowl that holds approx 4 ½ cups liquid.
1-cup pitted cherries
½-cup sugar divided (¼ cup for cherry puree and ¼ cup for almond part)
1/2 cup water
½-cup boiling water
14 oz can condensed milk
1-cup evaporated milk
8 oz cream cheese
1/8 tsp almond extract
3 packets Knox Gelatin

Spray mold with nonstick cooking spray.

Bloom gelatin in ½ cup boiling water. Let dissolve for a few minutes, set aside. In a heavy bottomed saucepan add cherries, 1/4 cup of sugar, and ½ cup water. Cook until it starts to boil. Take an immersion blender and puree. Let it roll to a boil again and remove from heat.

In a large blender combine 1cup condensed milk (or 14 0z can), cream cheese (8 oz), 1 cup evaporated milk. Mix until well blended. Set aside.

Add dissolved gelatin to the condensed milk, cream cheese mixture. Take a bowl and pour half of milk /cream cheese mixture. Add cherry puree and incorporate. Add almond extract, remaining sugar, to the rest of milk /cream cheese mixture (without the cherries).Set aside.

Take the cherry mixture and our one layer in mold. Refrigerate for 45 minutes until almost firm. Add a layer of almond mixture (if it had started to gel, beat it up a beat to liquefy) on top of cherry layer. Refrigerate another 45 minutes until almost firm. Repeat again with cherry mixture, etc .After layering process let entire mold chill for 4 hours.

To unmold, carefully dip in hot water and turn onto a plate/serving dish. Be careful as it may ‘melt’ outer layer a bit.

Up Next: Lychee and Strawberry Gelatin Mold