Halloween gelatin eyeballs : a strawberry iris, a blueberry pupil and a coconut milk white, set in half-sphere molds.
This Halloween dessert makes an impression as soon as it reaches the table : fifteen little glossy white eyeballs, each with a red strawberry iris and a dark pupil staring at your guests. The coconut gelatin is soft and cool on the tongue, while the strawberry is tangier. These bites are made the day before, with two rounds of chilling. Find this recipe among my keto desserts.
What Are Halloween Gelatin Eyeballs ?
Each bite resembles an eyeball. The iris is made from 85 g of pureed strawberries set with gelatin, the pupil from a frozen wild blueberry, and the white from 175 ml of coconut milk set with gelatin.
The layers are assembled upside down in flexible half-sphere molds : strawberry and blueberry on the bottom, coconut milk on top. Once unmolded, the rounded side reveals the pupil in the center of the red iris.
Where Does This Dessert Come From ?
These gelatin eyeballs belong to the world of Halloween party desserts, where looks matter just as much as taste. These eye-catching illusion bites are easy to pick up from an October 31 buffet.
Their appeal lies in bold colors and simple steps : pureed fruit, warmed milk, gelatin and time in the refrigerator.
The Main Ingredients
The 85 g of strawberries give the iris its color and tartness. The 15 wild blueberries, taken straight from the container in the freezer, make perfectly sized pupils, round and dark.
The coconut milk, 175 ml, forms the ivory white of the eye (coconut water will not work). Gelatin sheets hold everything together : 2 sheets for the strawberry layer, 3.5 for the coconut layer, or 5.5 in total.
Sugar is optional, with a little added to the coconut milk to taste ; 5 drops of stevia extract can replace it for a sugar-free version.
Technique and Serving Tips
Soften 2 gelatin sheets in cold water, heat the pureed strawberries in a small saucepan, then squeeze out the gelatin and add it, keeping the mixture at a bare simmer without letting it come to a full boil. Set the molds on a board, fill them using a teaspoon, reserving a little of the strawberry mixture, then gently press a blueberry into the center of each mold, all the way to the bottom. Place the board in the refrigerator for a few hours.
For the white, use the same method with 3.5 sheets and the warmed coconut milk, sweetened or not. Let it cool before pouring it over the set irises, then refrigerate again for a few hours, ideally overnight. To unmold, gently pull the edges of the mold away, then push from underneath ; serve well chilled, as the eyeballs will hold their shape for a few hours before softening, depending on the temperature.
You can find more dishes like this among my low-carb recipes.
Ingredients
- 85 g strawberries
- 15 blueberries frozen wild blueberries (from a container in the freezer)
- 175 ml coconut milk
- 5.5 sheets gelatin
Optional
- Sugar to taste (or 5 drops of stevia extract for a sugar-free version)
Instructions
Red Irises and Black Pupils
- Place 2 sheets of gelatin in cold water. Puree the strawberries in a small saucepan and heat. Once the gelatin has softened, squeeze out the excess water and add it to the strawberries. Stir, letting the mixture simmer very gently. Do not bring to a full boil.5.5 sheets gelatin, 85 g strawberries
- While the strawberries cool, set out a board and place the molds on it. Fill the molds using a teaspoon. Keep a little strawberry mixture in reserve to allow for spills.
- Take the container of blueberries out of the freezer and select 15 for the pupils. Place them in the center of the molds and gently push them through the strawberry mixture to the bottom.15 blueberries
- Place the board in the refrigerator for a few hours.
Whites of the Eyes
- Place 3.5 sheets of gelatin in cold water. Heat the coconut milk. Add the sugar (or sweetener), if using.175 ml coconut milk, Sugar
- Once the gelatin sheets have softened, squeeze out the excess water and add them. Stir, letting the milk simmer very gently. Do not bring to a full boil.
- Let cool. Take the board with the irises out of the refrigerator. Divide the milk evenly over them. Return to the refrigerator for a few hours.
Finishing
- Take the board out of the refrigerator. Gently pull the molds to loosen the edges of the eyeballs. Then press from underneath to pop the eyeballs out of the molds.
- Depending on the temperature, the eyeballs will hold their shape for a few hours. If they get very warm, they will soften.
