Almond Gelatin and Port Cherries

How I learned this recipe:
I picked this recipe up a couple of years ago when experimenting with dried fruits. One of my closest friends taught me about Asian cuisine and the use of almonds in their foods. I came across the idea of flavoring the gelatin when I couldn't get the same texture I wanted from rice-pudding. It is a delicious dessert that will please any adult's sweet tooth without all of the calories.

Ingredients:
*For Almond-snow gelatin*
Vegetable oil for greasing baking dish
2 1/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 cup skim milk
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

*For Port Cherries*
1/3 cup dried cherries (2 oz)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup Ruby Port

Instructions:

Making the almond-snow gelatin-
1.Lightly oil an 8-inch square glass baking dish with vegetable oil, wiping out any excess with a paper towel. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, add the water and sprinkle the gelatin over it to soften...

3. Bring the milk and the sugar to a boil in a 1-quart saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, then remove it from the heat and whisk into the gelatin mixture. Add the almond extract and whisk briskly until the milk is foamy, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and freeze for 15 minutes. remove and chill it uncovered in the refrigerator for another forty five minutes.

While the jello is getting cold

Making cherries in Port-
1. Simmer the cherries, the sugar, and the Port in a heavy saucepan, uncovered, reducing it to about 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Set the pan in a bowl of ice and cold water and chill it in the refrigerator until it is syrupy, about 15 minutes.

Make it look pretty-

Using a knife dipped in hot water, cut the gelatin into 1-inch squares. Remove the squares from the dish with a spatula and divide, frothy sides up, among 6 chilled plates. Spoon cherries in Port over squares.

Tips:
* the gelatin mixture can be made up to two days in advance, just be sure to cover it after chilling it uncovered for forty-five minutes....and the cherries can be made up to one week in advance, store covered.

*you can substitute the vegetable oil for cooking spray as well.

Learn more about this author, Summer Stewart.
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