Edible gin and tonic jelly shots are being served in sophisticated fashion at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins

MOST won’t have fond memories of ‘jelly shots’—made with copious amounts of cheap vodka and cordial. Now there’s a sophisticated way to try alcoholic jellies in Melbourne. Here’s where you can try them.

MOST OF us won’t have fond memories of ‘jelly shots’. The rainbow-coloured lollies are made for party “pre’s” (pre-drinks) on kitchen benches across the suburbs by mixing minimal cordial and copious amounts of cheap vodka. Cue the hangover and hard lessons in drinking.

But behind a bar, 35 levels above Melbourne, Marc Dasan has recreated the party shot as a sophisticated cocktail for the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins.

IS THIS MELBOURNE’S MOST EXPENSIVE COFFEE

SOUTH MELBOURNE NAMED WORLD’S BEST BARTENDER

THE 20 BEST DISHES TO EAT IN VICTORIA RIGHT NOW

Think Pink Rocks edible jelly cocktail plate at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. Picture: Sofitel

Using Vogue Fashion Night Out spring-summer looks from the catwalk and Gordon’s Pink Gin as his muse, the hotel’s food and beverage manager created three gin and tonic edible jellies, as part of a series of specialty cocktails.

“Everyone’s making a spritz or a twist on the Pimms Cup, we wanted to do something different,” he says.

“The jelly was something we really wanted to do, it’s hard to make, but we wanted to try and achieve an alcoholic jelly.”

Translucent, sheer, floral and bold-colour catwalk looks for the spring soon found their way onto the drinks list, in the form of the Think Pink Gin Rocks.

Creating the jellies became more of a science experiment, with the hotel’s chefs, bartenders, and mixologists working together to concoct the perfect recipe.

“There are two things gelatine doesn’t like - alcohol and tea,” Marc says.

“We were trying to find the right balance between all ingredients. We were using citrus and alcohol, which doesn’t work well with gelatine. Then we had to find the perfect balance between citrus, sugar and gelatine.

The perfect way to start a night out. Picture: Sofitel

“I reckon we went through at least 17 batches of jelly.”

Two weeks of trial and error led to three distinct flavours — lemon and rosemary, butterfly pea tea, and lavender and fruit rogue tea, all infused with Gordon’s Premium Pink Gin.

The cocktail plate ($30) has eight jellies, four fruit rogue tea and two each of the others, served with a white chocolate wedge stamped with a Vogue magazine cover designed by local artist Sarah Darby.

The tea flavours are subtle, as are the gin undertones, despite it being two standard drinks per serve.

The jellies serve as a nice fullstop after dinner, or a cheeky tipple before a night on the town.

“It’s an aperitif, with subtle flavours more than anything else,” Marc says.

Think of the them as more mature “pre’s”.

The Vogue cocktails are available at The Atrium at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins until November 10.

Twitter: @Kara_Irving

Instagram: @Kara_Irving