Before starting my mixology self-education, I associated drinks with “sour” in the name as an efficient way to get sorority girls drunk. I have since learned that not all drinks with sour in the name need to contain cheap booze and dreadful sour mix. Done well, sours offer the delightful combination of booze, sugar, and citrus. One of my favorite cocktails, the bramble, is a basic gin sour with a shot of blackberry liqueur. Hence, a good whiskey sour is made of decent whiskey or bourbon (2 ounces), fresh squeezed lemon juice (1 ounce) and simple syrup (1/2 ounce).
Just a warning to boozy gelatin fans: This recipe is not for the meek. It is strong, strong stuff. I made it for my friend Dave’s birthday party, and even that bourbon-loving crowd commented on the boozy strength. Consider using shot-sized molds, or cutting the gelatin into tiny squares. Also, to cut down on the sharp boozy taste, substitute some water for the alcohol, or use a higher quality whiskey. A smooth whiskey results in a smooth gelatin mold.
Whiskey Sour (3.5 cups)
- 2 packets Knox gelatin
- ½ cup water (for blooming)
- ¾ water
- ½ cup sugar (or to taste)
- Juice of one lemon (approx. ¼ cup) with zest reserved
- 1 ¾ cup bourbon
Put ½ cup of water in a medium bowl and sprinkle the 2 packets of gelatin on top. Set bowl aside. Put water, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a low boil until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add lemon zest. Let stew for 10-minutes. Strain the lemon syrup, and return to saucepan. Reheat the syrup, and pour over the bloomed gelatin. Stir until gelatin dissolves. Stir in bourbon. Spoon mixture into mold(s). Put in refrigerator until set, at least 4 hours. Serve with maraschino cherries.
If you want to put cherries in the mold, put mixture in refrigerator (or freezer) until thickened to a soft gel consistency. It should be easy to stir but thick enough to suspend the cherries. Stir in cherries and spoon mixture into mold(s). Put in refrigerator until set, at least 4 hours.
6 comments
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January 6, 2012 at 2:30 am
Flavia Doeppen
What a delicious blog!!!!!!
Do you think papaya would work well with gelatin? I wanted to try to make a Papaya panna cotta with Cassis Liquor drizzled on top.
Papaya cream with Cassis is very popular in Brazil, I found a “Churrascaria” (BBQ place called Fogo de Chao) in Austin/TX that serves it, but I think a panna cotta with that combination of flavors would be divine!
Should I try it?
🙂
Thanks,
Flavia
January 6, 2012 at 12:28 pm
Casey_Grim
Thanks Flavia! I think a papaya panna cotta with cassis on top sounds fantastic. I remember reading somewhere that the acid in many tropical fruits interacts with gelatin, preventing it from setting. But I think that only applies to raw fruit. Maybe if the papaya was cooked into a simple syrup, it wouldn’t interact with the gelling process. If you try it, please let me know how it turn out! Mind if I steal your idea and try it myself? (BTW, I’ve been to Fogo de Chao – so good!
January 6, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Flavia Doeppen
Oh, please 🙂 try it out!
You do such a fantastic work. It’s like gelatin art!
Please, whenever you have a chance, could you do a post on your favorite molds?
I’m overwhelmed with the sizes, forms and materials… I really don’t want to spend money on something else I’ll not use in my kitchen
January 6, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Casey_Grim
That’s a great idea for a post! I’ll start working on it. Right now I can say that I prefer metal molds in simple modern styles, between 2 and 5 cups. I also love individual metal molds, but I only find them in antique stores or online – which mean they are more expensive. I find most of my molds at Goodwill, and rarely pay over 3 dollars. You may have to try a few thrift stores before you find one – in Austin it’s hit or miss. I was just at the Goodwill on Lake Austin, and they didn’t have a single mold. Best of luck on your mold search, let me know how it goes!
January 9, 2012 at 12:25 pm
Flavia Doeppen
Hi!
I did try out the papaya panna cotta… it did not work very well
See the picture here:
I did not get the chance to stop by Specs to get a bottle of cassis liqueur, so I was going to do a red wine simple syrup… To be honest, after a weekend of too much eating, I will skip the sauce altogether and eat it plain.
January 9, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Casey_Grim
I’m sorry it didn’t turn out well, but the pictures are fantastic! I love the rose mold.