My latest cooking adventure was Low Carb Fourth of July Jello. I wanted a dessert that would be good for my 4th of July celebrations. My go to dessert is a layered jello, but I didn’t want to usual sugar free jello out of the box (plus I don’t eat products sweetened with aspartame anymore). My last attempt at homemade jello had a very weird aftertaste so I was hesitant to try again. I did end up trying again, but this time I used real fruit in hopes that the flavor would be much better. This is definitely not your average jello!
1 lb strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 Tbsp sweetener of choice (I used Swerve)
1/4 oz package gelatin
1/4 cup water
Coconut and Lime Layer:
2 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp water
1/4 oz package gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup coconut cream**
4 Tbsp sweetener of your choice (I used Swerve Confectioners Style)
For the strawberry layer:
Place the strawberries in a bowl and add the sweetener. Stir to combine and allow to sit for 1 hour. After one hour, place the strawberries in a blender until pureed (taste and add more sweetener if needed). Place the water in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the water (sit for 1 minute). In a medium saucepan, heat the strawberry puree over medium heat until heated through. Next, whisk in the gelatin until the mixture is smooth. Remove the mixture from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
For the coconut and lime layer:
**To make coconut cream, place a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. Open the can and scoop out the cream that has risen to the top (should have at least 1/2 cup). The liquid at the bottom of the can could be used for smoothies or other recipes.
To unmold, run a butter knife around the edge of the pan. Dip the bottom of the pan in hot water for 20 seconds and then invert the jello onto the serving platter. If the jello doesn’t release after 45 seconds, repeat the unmolding steps.
Top with sweetened whipped coconut cream or heavy cream.
Net Carb Count*:
Comments: I really liked how this jello turned out. The flavor was so much better than the jello out of a box or my last attempt at homemade. The real strawberries add texture to the dessert and the coconut and lime make a perfect tropical combination. If you don’t want to mess with layering the jello, each layer can be poured into separate 9×5 inch loaf pans and placed into the refrigerator until completely set. Unmold each pan and serve separately or cut into cubes and layer each flavor with sweetened whipped coconut cream (or whipped heavy cream) for a trifle type dessert. Also, I realize this fourth of July dessert doesn’t have a blue layer, but unfortunately blueberries have too many carbs for me at the moment. I haven’t tried this out, but you could make a blueberry layer by replacing 1 or 2 pints of blueberries for the strawberries, Allow the coconut lime layer to firm (30-40 minutes) before adding the blueberry layer. Also, you can cut the jello into fun shapes (like stars) with a cookie cutter, which would be perfect for your 4th of July festivities.
Enjoy!
~Karen
