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1
Put the 1 1/3 cups water and sugar into a wide, thick-bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil.
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2
Let boil for 5 minutes, take off the heat, add the lemon zest, and leave to steep for 15 minutes.
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3
Strain into a measuring cup, then add the lemon juice, the tonic water, and the gin; you should have reached the 6-cup mark; if not, add more tonic water, gin, or lemon juice to taste.
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4
Soak the gelatin leaves in a dish of cold water for 5 minutes to soften.
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5
Meanwhile, put the 1/4 cup of water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
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6
Remove from the heat, squeeze out the gelatin leaves, and whisk them in.
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7
Pour some of the gin and lemon syrup mixture into the saucepan and then pour everything back into the measuring cup.
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8
Pour into the mold and, when cold, put in the refrigerator to set.
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9
This should take about 6 hours.
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10
When you are ready to unmold, half-fill a sink with warm water and stand the mold in it for 30 seconds or so.
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11
Clamp a big flat plate over the gelatin and invert to unmold, shaking it as you do so.
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12
If it doesnt work, stand it in the warm water for another half minute or so and try again.
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13
If youve used a dome mold, surround the gelatin with white currants, or fill the hole with them if youve used a ring mold.
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14
Raspberries are just as good, but dust these with confectioners sugarit sounds fancy, but it makes the pale-jade glimmer of the jelly and the otherwise-too-vibrant red of the fruit come together on the plate.
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15
The white currants should be left to glimmer, opal-like, without interference.
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16
VARIATION
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17
To make a vodka and lime jelly, simply substitute 6 limes for the 2 lemons and use vodka in place of the gin.
