The richness of a ketogenic-diet is a wonderful thing, but sometimes the palette needs a little break from all that cream! Especially at Christmas time, when every meal is a feast in proportions and weight!

These bright gin & tonic jellies are just what’s required to lighten things up! They’re fresh in taste and a true delight to the eye. The simplicity of this dish will add a stately, refined elegance to the festive table, and serve as a tonic to the tastebuds.

Because there’s no sugar, this pudding is perfect for diabetics, ketogenic-dieters, and those with an intolerance to gluten. And because they’re so simple to make, they’ll remove some of the ‘cooking pressure’ from your shoulders, and can be made well in advance.

When making these, I strongly recommend pouring a stiff gin and tonic for yourself. What more do you need to get you in the festive spirit…?! Check out my perfect gin and tonic post, to get the best from this wonderful keto-cocktail!

People can often be a little shy of gelatine, as they think it’s fiddly and difficult to use. This could not be further from the truth. Make sure you buy a good quality leaf gelatine, that’s crystal clear. You’ll have no problems and will want to start using it time and time again, it’s so easy!

I use raspberries here to complement the clean freshness. Fruit is not great on a ketogenic-diet, but a few certainly won’t hurt. You could also use cooked cranberries, but there’s a danger their juice will spoil the clarity. If you go for that option, make sure to rinse them thoroughly and pat dry with kitchen-paper. That way, you’ll minimise the potential for them to leach into the setting jelly.

Start by soaking gelatine leaves for 5 minutes in cold water. Four leaves will make a pint of mix. Once they have soaked, drain the water and squeeze out any excess liquid with your hand.

Set a 1/4 pint of water on to simmer, with 3oz of sweetener. Once this is almost at the boil, remove from the heat and stir in your gelatine.

In a jug make up 3/4 of a pint of strong gin and tonic, being sure to pour yourself one at the same time. Obviously for diabetics and those on a low-carb weight-loss programme, be sure to use low-calorie / sugar-free tonic water. Pour your G&T into the gelatine mix and stir well. Leave this somewhere cool for 10 minutes to give the setting a head start.

This dish works incredibly well in delicate glass-bowls, champagne glasses or wine-glasses alike. Whichever you choose, add a few raspberries to each glass and ladle in the G&T mix right to the brim. If you’re feeling extra special, you can do this in stages so that the raspberries appear to float in the mix. If you fancy doing this, pour in a little of the liquid, add a couple of raspberries then chill that layer in the fridge for 20 minutes so that the fruit sets at that height. Then repeat the process with another layer, until you reach the top of the glass. To do this, you’ll need to keep the gelatine mix at room temperature, so that it doesn’t set between layers. For this particular occasion, I opted for an all at once approach. I find the results just as beautiful (and far more straightforward), if you allow the raspberries to float to the top. I’ll leave it up to you to decide which route you go for.

Once the glasses are full, chill well in the refrigerator over night. Immediately prior to service, top with a couple more raspberries and a sprig of holly. I also zested an orange and draped this over the top for a little bit more colour. As always, this is entirely optional.

There you go; your elegant dessert is now complete. A bit of candle-light will bring out an electric blue tinge to the gin. This adds to the charm and creates a further sense of wonder. Enjoy!

Be sure to keep reading for more festive recipes over the coming weeks! Check out The Low Carb Christmas for details.

Enjoy the festive season and thank you for reading,

Adam.