FOODIE FRIDAY: Fun with gelatin!

       In a discussion recently about gelatin and how good it is for you, I mentioned some of the different kinds that I had played with. Of course that brought a request for the recipe. Hmmm. You mean that scribble of notes I jotted down to try remember what I did? Clearly I had to make some recipes to see if I could duplicate what I did before; to see how well my notes captured it. Since I'm a "Little dab of this, and a splash of that" kind of cook, that's always an interesting challenge! So I made some Coffee Gigglers and shared them when we had a Taco Potluck while camping in the Bouse area. They were very well received, and I heard later they were even talked about at the fire that night! After making them again, I feel confident that I it got down. It's now in Official Recipe Form!

The squares on the left are the peanut butter ones, on the right the coffee. Not much difference by looks except the coffee ones are smoother in texture. I'm thinking that the peanut butter ones are just begging for some kind of chocolate layer.

The basic gelatin gigglers recipe is simple, and once you know the proportions you can make all kinds of flavors:
2 TBSP gelatin
2-3 cups total liquid (depending on how firm you want them)

   I like to put the gelatin in cold liquid first to keep it from clumping, then add it to the hot and stir for several minutes. You can also use a stick blender to make it smooth, but it will add a foamy top layer. I like that added texture and for the Coffee Gigglers, it's the best way to emulsify the fats.
    I like to play around with different combos of herbal tea, kombucha, flavored stevia and veggies or fruit. With the basic ratios of gelatin to liquid, I can pretty much make anything that sounds good! I've used hibiscus tea for color if I'm doing a fruit flavored one. Tulsi tea is great for a soft, refreshing mouthful. Chamomile tea for a before bed calming bite (great for kids). Peanut butter and bananas is a grandkid favorite. And why not coffee while we're at it?
     Why, you might ask, would I bother to make gelatin in the first place? Glad you asked! Gelatin is made of collagen (same thing, different forms) which is an important protein and it's the glue that holds your body together. It's necessary for skin, hair, nails, a healthy gut, joints, etc. For more great information on this, go here to Amy Myers MD website and read  up on it. I certainly noticed a difference when I ran out and couldn't find any for about a month in my travels. I didn't really want the Knox Gelatin because I'm not sure of the source (although it will do in a pinch), and I prefer it in bulk. I finally found some in Tucson in the Food Conspiracy Co-op in bulk and got a bunch, enough to get me home. Now that I'm eating it again, my nails are getting stronger and so is my hair. I don't really have joint issues, so I don't know by personal experience how that helps. But it's enough for me to know that my nails are better since they are a pretty clear indicator of body health. I usually add it to my morning porridge, but sometimes I just want to play around with it! Plus it's fun to share this healthy snack with others.

The brand of decaf coffee I use, truly decaf. I try to get organic cream. The brand and flavor of stevia used in both recipes. The Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener is something I've just started using. It has Monkfruit and erythritol in it. 

     I took my version of Bullet Proof Coffee and added the cream, extra stevia and gelatin. I can have it any time since it's decaf, and it makes a great, light dessert!  You can make it with whatever flavor combo floats your boat, just be aware that once it gets cold and gels, it will be milder in flavor and less sweet.

Coffee Gelatin Gigglers:
2 TBSP plain gelatin
1 cup cool water
Mix these together and set aside. This keeps the gelatin from clumping.

Mix together:
     1-1/4 c hot coffee to taste, strong enough to get diluted by the cup of water.
     1 TBSP butter (to make dairy free, use coconut butter or double coconut oil)
     1 TBSP coconut oil
     2-4 TBSP cream to taste (can also use coconut cream)
     2-3 droppers Chocolate flavored stevia to taste (a dropperful comes up about 1" approx 20 drops)
     1 tsp monk fruit/erythritol sweetener or honey (to mellow out the stevia)

Blend the coffee, fats, sweeteners and cream together in a blender or with a stick blender until somewhat frothy. Add the gelatin/water mix, blend until thoroughly mixed. Taste it. This mixture should taste a bit sweeter and stronger than you prefer. Pour into 8x8 pan and refrigerate until set. Cut into squares and enjoy! It will separate as it cools to form a top layer. You can also pour this into gelatin molds, individual cups or whatever you prefer.

Peanut Butter Gigglers: (a grandkid favorite, they ask for these!)
        2 TBSP plain gelatin
1 cup cool water
 Mix these together and set aside. This keeps the gelatin from clumping.

     1/4 c peanut butter
     3 droppers Chocolate flavored stevia (a dropperful comes up about 1", approx 20 drops)
     2 TBSP cream
     1 tsp Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener or honey or maple syrup (can use more of this, less of stevia)
     1-1/2 cups very hot water
     6-8 slices frozen banana or to taste

In a deep bowl, mix peanut butter, sweeteners, and cream. Add gelatin mixture and stir well. Add hot water and blend thoroughly. Add frozen bananas and blend. Chill until set up, cut and serve.
TIP: I like to have frozen banana slices on hand in the freezer. I take a real ripe banana, slice it about 1/4" or slightly thicker and take a gallon freezer ziplock bag and place them one layer thick in the freezer until frozen, then they can be used individually.

Did you make them? Did you try any variations? I'd love to hear about it.