Latest / The Monégasque Table / Edible Glitter Jello Shots: How Many One Jar Covers
Transcript
- Dana: 96. That's how many jello shots one little jar of glitter covers, apparently. I'm making 24. Margaux: Welcome to The Monégasque Table. Today's question is the New Year's party favorite with a sparkle on top: how much edible glitter do you need for jello shots? Dana: And is it worth it, or is this one of those things that looks great in a video and costs a fortune. Margaux: Here's the answer up front. It costs very little. The test-kitchen recipe I read says each 3-ounce box of flavored gelatin makes about 12 shots, so 2 boxes make 2 dozen. The printed serving on a drink-glitter jar is 0.1 grams. 24 shots at 0.1 grams each is 2.4 grams. A 10 gram jar covers 4 of those batches, which is 96 shots, with a little left over. At $14.99 for about 100 servings, that's around 15 cents a shot. Dana: 15 cents. I've paid more for the little plastic cups. Margaux: And the recipe itself is simple. Sprinkle the gelatin over 1 cup of water, let it stand 1 minute, stir it over low heat until it's dissolved. Off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup of vodka and 1/2 cup of cold water. That's 3 parts water to 1 part vodka, which the recipe says keeps them from being too strong. Pour into 2-ounce shot glasses, into the fridge, and they set in about three hours. Dana: So when does the glitter go in? Into the hot gelatin? Margaux: There are two good spots, and this is where we disagree. My favorite is the layered version the recipe offers. You pour the first layer, let it set completely, sprinkle the glitter on that set surface, then pour the next layer over it. You get a shimmer line right through the middle of the shot. Dana: And mine is the top. Pour once, let it set, and sprinkle the pinch on top right before the tray goes out. Margaux: Both work. The layered one is prettier. Dana: My round, then. The recipe says let the first layer set completely before the second goes in. Each layer is about three hours. So a layered shot is two set times. It's New Year's Eve afternoon, I'm cleaning the bathroom, I'm hiding the laundry. I do not have 6 hours of fridge time for a shot. Margaux: That's the round you win. For a first-timer on a deadline, one pour, one set, glitter on top. The recipe says make them at least three hours ahead, and the top sprinkle happens in the last minute. Layered shots are for the host who started the day before. Dana: Can I make them the day before, then? Margaux: Yes. The recipe says serve them within five days, covered, in the fridge. And if you're carrying them to someone else's party, it suggests plastic condiment cups with lids. That's where your top sprinkle helps again: lids on for the drive, glitter on when you arrive. Dana: Any color advice? The video I saw was a rainbow mess. Margaux: Pick a gelatin color that's light enough to see through. An analysis of about 2,400 category reviews has buyers saying glitter works best with clear drinks, and a pale shot shows a sparkle line much better than a dark one. And one rule note, because people ask. The federal listing for this pigment, 21 CFR 73.350, names gelatin desserts among its food categories, and its beverage entry names cocktails. A jello shot is a vodka shot set in gelatin. We'll describe what the listing names and leave it there. Dana: And one warning from the recipe I actually liked. Margaux: Stick to 80-proof spirits. The recipe says higher-proof alcohol can stop the gelatin from setting properly. No glitter fixes a shot that won't set. Dana: Who should skip it? Margaux: 3 skips. If your party has kids, these aren't for them. They're vodka shots. If you're using a dark gelatin color, skip the glitter, nobody will see it. And if you were planning the layered version with 3 hours to go, skip the layers, not the glitter. Dana: Dana's Scorecard. I came in thinking glitter shots were a money trap. Where I landed. One: 24 shots take 2.4 grams, and one 10 gram jar covers 96. Two: about 15 cents a shot. Three: one pour, one set, glitter on top right before serving, unless you started yesterday. Four: light colors, 80-proof, lids for the car. My caveat: the cups still cost more than the glitter, and that's on the cups. Margaux: Fair. The footnote: the MONÉGASQUE Iridescent Butterfly 10 gram drink glitter is on Amazon at $14.99, about 100 servings at the printed 0.1 grams. Dana: Next time, homemade marshmallows for holiday gift tins, and when you'd have to start. Margaux: Earlier than you think, and the number that matters is 3 to 4 weeks. One note before we go — this show is produced by the team at Monégasque, with AI-crafted hosts. See you at the table.