Strawberry Shortcake Jellies

By markemilw

All the familiar flavors of shortcake come
together in this fanciful form. Chill a thin layer of berry gelatin in the bottom of teacups, pour on a layer of creamy gelatin -- panna cotta, a classic Italian dessert -- and add pound cake. As the layers chill, they hold together; invert, and voila!

Ingredients

• FOR THE STRAWBERRY JELLY:
• 1 pound plus 2 ounces strawberries, hulled, and quartered if large (about 21/2 cups), plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)
• FOR THE PANNA COTTA:
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 11/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from two 1/4-ounce envelopes)
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• Sheet Pound Cake

Preparation

Step 1

Make the strawberry jelly: Puree strawberries, sugar, 1/2 cup water, and salt in a food processor. Press through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in lemon juice (you should have 2 cups liquid).

Sprinkle gelatin over remaining 3 tablespoons water, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.

Heat 1/2 cup strawberry puree in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add softened gelatin, stirring to dissolve. Stir into remaining strawberry puree. Divide among 8 six-ounce rounded teacups. Refrigerate until almost set, about 1 hour.

Make the panna cotta: Prepare an ice-water bath. Stir together milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla seeds and pod if using, in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. Strain into a clean pan; discard pod.

Sprinkle gelatin over water, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Bring milk mixture to a simmer. Add softened gelatin, and stir until it dissolves. Strain through sieve set over a bowl in ice-water bath, stir in vanilla extract if using. Let cool, stirring, until just beginning to set, 10 to 15 minutes. Divide among teacups.

Cut 8 rounds of pound cake to fit into the teacups, and place 1 inside each. Refrigerate until set, 8 hours or up to overnight. To serve, dip teacups in hot water for 15 to 20 seconds, until gelatin loosens, and invert quickly. Serve with fresh strawberries.