Jelly Shot 1-2-3

Which Final Four Jelly Shot 1-2-3 will be Numero Uno? (Helene's money is on Louisville ...)

Certainly you knew that it would come to this, eventually - the day when JSTK put a spin on the childhood treat that most likely fueled my unhealthy obsession fascination with gelatin as a whole. That's right, Jello 1-2-3! Unfortunately, that magical three layered delight is no longer available as a ready made mix, but there are recipes a-plenty out there on the interweb.

Before I get to the recipe, a few notes:

• The Layered Look. While each and every iteration was absolutely delicious, the visuals for each batch varied quite a bit (as you can see from the photos). And, although layering occurred, the sum total was more like a Jelly Shot 1-2 than a 1-2-3. (I made the recipes multiple times, thinking it was user error, but each time it was a bit different, even with fully consistent technique.) So, I popped a tiny layer of whip on the top so you wouldn't feel cheated out of a third layer. Plus, whip is needed to hold the sprinkles.
• Alcohol choices. JSTK's adorable and brilliant attorney, Helene Freeman of Phillips Nizer, was quite firm that the Louisville Kentucky version (lower left hand corner) contain bourbon. As such, that Jelly Shot is made with cherry gelatin and Jim Beam Red Stag black cherry bourbon. The end result is nothing short of awesome*, and I'm not usually a bourbon fan - even the tiniest quantity seems to give me the hiccups. But I would endure them in this case.  
• School Colors. I hope they're all correct enough, and that I haven't caused offense with my sports decoration idiocy. (If so, please be kind in your floggings, and put the oranges in a sock first.) I'm not very sporty, but big games like this are fun, even for non-fans. So. I wavered adding yellow sprinkles to the Louisville shots, but wanted something to differentiate from Ohio which already had the black and red. And that cute bird on the Louisville logo has that nice yellow beak. The whole sprinkle situation was a comedy of errors from the get-go. A large sprinkle wheel was purchased for the purposes of this post, as naturally it held every rainbow color, but lo and behold, where the blue ought to be ... PURPLE. Which even I know would be a faux pas. So I hand selected the blue sprinkles for the tops of the Kentucky shots from my mixed rainbow sprinkles. (Yes. with my actual hands. They are so tiny. I have a headache.) And that's why poor Kansas didn't get any blue - sorry guys, but at least I got the "maize" in there. Wicked, dreadful sprinkle wheel. 

Caveats aside, I loved this recipe - hope it add's some fun and frivolity to your Final Four Festivities. I'm going to keep working to see if I can come up with a method to get around the variations in layering. I also hear tell of another 1-2-3 recipe out there that calls for a bunch of dry ingredients, such as coffee creamer and meringue powder. At any rate, enjoy! 

XO, Michelle

* P.S. In addition to her considerable charm and delightful-ness, Helene is typically 100% right. About everything.  But I made an error in recalling her actual pick ... it was Kentucky. I'm too addled now to figure out which is which and what team colors were off. Sorry Helene!!

Jelly Shot 1-2-3

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 package flavored gelatin dessert (3oz/85g size, any flavor)
• 1/2 cup thawed Cool Whip (plus additional for topping if desired)
• 1/2 cup ice cold vodka, bourbon or other liquor (I’ve used both flavored vodka and Red Stag bourbon – both were yum!)
• 3/4 cup ice
• Sprinkles

Instructions:

Pour boiling water into blender. Add gelatin dessert mix. Cover and blend at low speed until completely dissolved, about 30 seconds.

Combine cold liquor and ice cubes to make 1 1/4 cups, and add to blender with the Cool Whip. Stir until ice is partially melted. Blend at high speed for 30 seconds.

Pour into shot glasses. Chill until set (several hours). Dessert layers as it chills.

Immediately before serving add additional Cool Whip and sprinkles, if desired.

Yield: Recipe makes about 25 oz liquid, approximately 12 servings.