Wingin’ It: Loganberry Vodka (Dawson) Knox® Blox for Wild Card Weekend

There’s always room for these

You like football. You like food. So do we! So much so, in fact, that we smash the two together to bring you a Buffalo Bills-inspired recipe each week. Whether it’s a take on an opponents’ fave or some real mad scientist **** coming your way, Wingin’ It is the spot to watch. This week we’re prepping for the New England Patriots!

If you missed the regular-season finale you missed a milestone Wingin’ It where I broke the confines of hot sauce to celebrate other “Buffalo” specialties. We’re going two in a row with Loganberry Vodka Knox® Blox. If you’re unfamiliar with Knox® Blox they’re a gelatin dessert that’s a bit more solid than usual so it can be picked up an eaten. More on these below in the tips section but they’re VERY easily customizable and delicious.

The Bills have amped up their tight-end game with the emergence of Dawson Knox this year, and I think we’ll want a big performance from the man in the frigid elements. Celebrate Dawson Knox blocks, with Loganberry vodka (Dawson) Knox® Blox!

Loganberry (Dawson) Knox® Blox

Serves: 2-4
Active Time: 10 min
Total Time: 3.5 hours

Ingredients

¹⁄₂ cup vodka, chilled
¹⁄₂ cup loganberry syrup
2 packets Knox® unflavored gelatine
1 cup water
Cooking spray (optional)

1. Add Vodka and loganberry syrup to a mixing bowl (preferably glass) and stir.
2. Sprinkle both packs of Knox® gelatine evenly over the surface of the liquid mixture.
3. Bring water to a boil.
4. Stir boiling water into vodka/loganberry mixture for 3-5 min.
5. Pour mixture into desired containers (see below for suggestions). Refrigerate for three hours.
6. Remove gelatin and cut into blocks or desired shapes, depending on containers used (see below).

Wingin’ It Tips and Prep Gallery

Let’s talk about quantity and containers with a couple tips added in. You’ll end up with approximately a “pint” of these with a bit under three shots of liquor. Essentially this should be roughly equivalent to about three glasses of wine. If you’re looking to do a party, Knox® sells their pre-measured packets in boxes of 32, meaning it’s pretty easy to upscale this. If you decide to do that, it is critical that your mixing bowl increases in size as well. Let’s jump to the gallery.

Because I did a small batch, I just mixed in my measuring cup. When I say sprinkle the packets evenly, it doesn’t need to be perfect. The first picture shows right after adding the gelatin to cold liquid (dry spots are peaks). It’s not perfectly even. The next two show how the liquid will do the work for you. No stirring yet! This isn’t like other gelatin products—the granules need to be prepped with cold liquid first. If I made a larger amount I would have needed to use a larger mixing bowl (wider for more surface area).

It’s also critical that you stir for several minutes, even if you think it’s well mixed. Knox® packets are pretty perfectly calculated and if you have a clump like you see in my one picture it can be a problem. The good news is that if you proof it with cold water then add hot, it’s easy to break them apart and stir in.

Finally, I would encourage exploration as these are amazingly versatile. One packet will make a “traditional” gelatin dessert consistency out of two cups of liquid. They’ll make the more solid “blox” out of one cup. Juices work well—any syrup you can imagine, etc. If it’s liquid it can be gelled. I don’t recommend soda for two reasons. The carbonation goes weird sometimes. Also, for flavor, shoot for slightly more intense than you want the final product to be. The gelatin softens the flavor a bit. So if you’re expecting the exact soda flavor, it’s disappointing when it comes out dulled.