Create an eye-popping dessert, featuring a colorful 3D rose suspended in clear flavored gelatin.
SARAH SAYS: In Mexico City, where PREMIUM MEMBER, Mrs, Lourdes Reyes has a pastry arts school and shop, she has enhanced a technique for preparing unique three-dimensional gelatins – flowers and shapes, all handmade from gelatin. I have seen Lourdes' work in person, and just flipped when I saw it! It is simply sensational – and I am a huge fan! Ever since, I have been asking her to post a tutorial for us on CraftyBaking.com, which she generously shares here with us! Lourdes also teaches chocolate making, Wilton Method Cake Decorating, Sugarpaste, Gum Paste Flowers, Sugar Decorated Figures, Gingerbread Cookies and Houses, etc. Her work has appeared in many magazines and publications.
You can only get her class by traveling to her native Mexico City or if you are a PREMIUM MEMBER on CraftyBaking.com!
I feel so blessed to be the recipient of Lourdes' knowledge and talents! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! To learn more about Lourdes and what she does, visit her website. You will be amazed!
GELATIN INGREDIENT HELP
EQUIPMENT
9- or 10-inch mold (cake pan)
Small spoon
1 wire whisk
2 small bowls
1 paring knife
1 salt spoon (small spoon)
1 teaspoon
Cloth towels
1 grapefruit spoon
12-inch serving plate
INGREDIENTS
Granulated gelatin
Granulated sugar
Cold water
Powdered whole milk
Lemon flavor
Vanilla flavor
Citric acid
Water-based liquid or gel food coloring: red and green
STEP I: PREPARE THE LEMON AND VANILLA JELLY
INGREDIENTS
10 cups water
6 tablespoons (75g) pure granulated gelatin
3 1/2 cups (700g) granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups cold water
200 g powdered whole milk
2 tablespoons lemon flavor/extract (not oil based) NOTE: You can use other flavors if you wish.
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon citric acid
Recipe
1. Moisten a 10-inch mold and place it in the refrigerator.
2. Pour 1 1/4 cups of water over the dry granulated gelatin and whisk. Then leave it aside for 5 minutes to allow the gelatin to soften.
3. Combine 10 cups of water with the granulated sugar in a 3 to 4 liter saucepan.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
5. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
6. Add the 1-1/4 cups of softened gelatin to the boiled water and sugar.
Then stir gently until no bubbles or foam remains in the clear gelatin mixture.
7. Pour 4 cups of the clear gelatin mixture into a bowl and set aside.
8. To the remaining clear gelatin mixture liquid, add the lemon flavor, vanilla and citric acid, and stir.
9. Pour the liquid into the chilled mould to about 3/4 full.
10. Refrigerate the mould for 3 to 4 hours until the content sets to form a clear, firm jelly.
STEP II. MAKE THE 3D ROSE SUSPENDED IN GELATIN
1. Remove the mold containing the clear gelatin mixture from the refrigerator—it should now have set to a firm, clear jelly.
2. Using the paring knife, cut a small inverted cone shape in the center of the clear jelly.
3. Using the salt spoon, fill the cone shape with the red milk/gelatin solution
4. Using the teaspoon, cut a cavity in the clear jelly to form the first petal, by inserting the teaspoon into the cone shaped cut, curved side facing up.
5. Fill this petal cavity with red milk/gelatin solution, using the salt spoon.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to cut two more overlapping petals with the teaspoon's curve facing the inverted cone shape, and fill the cavities with the red milk/gelatin solution using the salt spoon. (Above centre and right)
7. The first three petals should now surround the cone.
8. Prepare a second row of petals to surround the first row of petals. This time, the teaspoon's curve faces away from the cone. Fill the cavities with the red milk/gelatin solution using the salt spoon.
Keep going with additional rows.
9. To complete the rose, repeat step 8 to make a third row of petals around the second row.
The rose is now complete.
III. MAKE THE LEAVES SUSPENDED IN GELATIN
1. To make the leaves, change to the grapefruit spoon. The spoon's bowl should face away from the centre and be placed at a flatter angle than the last row of petals. Lift the spoon and fill the leaf cavity with the green milk/gelatin solution, using the salt spoon. Follow this procedure to make four evenly spaced green leaves. (Above center and right)
STEP IV. COMPLETE THE 3D ROSE SUSPENDED IN GELATIN
1. Complete the mold by pouring the remaining white gelatin/milk solution over the rose.
2. Refrigerate the mold until set.
3. To unmold: Dip mold in hot water, just to the rim, for about 8-10 seconds. Lift from water. Place moistened serving plate over mold and invert. Shake slightly, then gently remove the mold.
The final product, (according to Loudes!) is good enough to eat!
SARAH SAYS: I think her work is too beautiful to eat!
Photos by Craig Gustafson with permission from Lourdes Reyes Rosas © 2008 Sarah Phillips CraftyBaking.com
