Prickly pears, also known as tunas in Mexico, are the fruit of the nopal, a tropical plant of the cactus family. This fruit is well known in Mexico, and it even appears on the shield of the national flag. Prickly pears help the digestive system, fight cholesterol, and even help prevent cardiovascular disease. I personally love them and I enjoy including them in desserts or smoothies. If you have never tried it, and would like to enjoy the great benefits of this wonderful fruit, this recipe is the perfect introduction of prickly pears for you!🌵🌵🌵💕
🥣 Cooking Time: 1hr & 30mins
🍲 Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
6 prickly pears
1 cup of whole milk
1 can of evaporated milk
1 can of condensed milk
4 tablespoons of powdered gelatin
2 cups of cold water
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, bloom the gelatin with 1 cup of cold water. The proper way to do it is by sprinkling the gelatin into the water, and allow it to rest for a few minutes.
2. Clean and peel the prickly pears to remove all the skin. Once clean, proceed to blend them with a cup of water until smooth.
3. Once blended, run the puree through a strainer to remove the seeds. Reserve the prickly pear puree once it is strained.
4. In a medium pot, combine all 3 milks and bring to a boil over medium heat. Make sure to mix everything with the help of a rubber spatula to prevent the condensed milk from sticking to the bottom and burning.
5. When the milk mixture is close to boiling, add the prickly pear puree and continue mixing.
6. Once everything is well mixed and about to boil again, turn off the heat and add the gelatin. * When you add the bloomed gelatin, you will notice that the gelatin has become a bit firm, silicone-like. This is normal and the gelatin will dissolve once mixed with the hot mixture.
7. Mix everything until the gelatin is well incorporated and has melted completely.
8. Once everything is well incorporated, strain the mixture again to remove lumps or air bubbles inside the jello.
9. Pour the jello into one or more molds of your choice. Allow gelatin to cool for 10 minutes before refrigerating at least 1hr before serving.
10. Enjoy your jello on its own or with a little whipped cream. ¡Buen provecho!
Notas & Tips
What is gelatin? Gelatin (also known as natural gelatin) is a colorless, transparent, and tasteless substance that is acquired through collagen extracted from animals. Today there are also other vegan options such as Agar, which can be a substitute of gelatin. Agar, compared to traditional gelatin, is made only from plant sources rather than animals; which makes it a perfect substitute if you are on a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Gelatin is used in multiple recipes in baking, and you can find it in different varieties in most supermarkets. The two most common varieties are powdered gelatin and gelatin sheets. For the gelatin to work well and not lose its properties to set (harden), it is very important to hydrate it before using. If the gelatin is not hydrated and is added directly to the mixture, the results are disastrous (Trust me, you will not like the mess to be cleaned!). So to get good results, here are some tips:
Powdered gelatin: 1 tablespoon powdered gelatin = 4 tablespoons of cold water or room temperature to hydrate. The proper way to do it is by sprinkling the gelatin into the water, and allowing it to bloom before adding it to the mixture to set.
Rolled gelatin: 6 sheets of gelatin = 1 tablespoon of powdered gelatin. To hydrate it, place them at the bottom of a container and then cover it with water at room temperature. Let it rest and to remove it from the water simply take it and squeeze it before adding it to the mixture to set.
In the US, prickly pears can be found primarily in Hispanic or Mexican supermarkets. They can be found in different colors such as green, red, yellow, or even orange. These guys are juicy, soft and have a lot of seeds (A LOT!). Their texture and flavor is unique, and they can even have a somewhat slimy consistency like nopales. This consistency is often the reason why many people are not fans, but if it is blended and incorporated into other foods, that consistency becomes non-existent. Its flavor (which is similar to the taste of a banana) mixes very well with natural juices, gelatins, and even aguas frescas. It's a fruit that provides great health benefits, and something different to incorporate for a balanced diet. I personally love them, and encourage you to research all the good benefits that this wonderful fruit can offers. 🌵💕
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