Hibiscus Gelée

Ingredients

• 2 cups bottled water
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1 ¾ ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) dried hibiscus flowers (see note)
• 9 sheets (3/4 ounce) leaf gelatin (see note)
• 2 cups pure pomegranate juice (see note)
• 2 star fruits
• 2 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• ¾ cup diced pineapple or sliced strawberries for serving
• ¾ cup diced mango for serving
• Plain yogurt for serving

6 to 8 servings

Preparation

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat, wait 20 seconds, add hibiscus. Steep 10 minutes. Set a mesh sieve over a bowl, strain and press to extract liquid.
2. Meanwhile, put gelatin in a small bowl, add ice water to cover. Set aside 5 minutes. When gelatin is soft, use a clean dish towel to squeeze out excess liquid gently.
3. Put hibiscus mixture in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Turn off heat, and add softened gelatin. Whisk until dissolved. Strain liquid into another bowl, and stir in pomegranate juice.
4. Cut 1 star fruit into 1/4-inch slices. In a decorative 6-cup mold, arrange half the slices in a single layer. Pour enough hibiscus liquid into the mold to not quite cover star fruit. Place mold in freezer or refrigerator 5 to 20 minutes to set gelatin.
5. Arrange half the banana over the gelatin, and gently pour half of the remaining hibiscus liquid into the mold. Scatter pomegranate seeds over the liquid and place mold in freezer or refrigerator for 20 to 45 minutes to set gelatin.
6. Gently pour remaining hibiscus liquid into the mold, and scatter remaining banana and star fruit slices over the top. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
7. To serve, cut remaining star fruit into 1/4-inch slices. Place in a bowl with pineapple or strawberries and mango, and combine. Invert mold onto a serving dish. Briefly run a hair dryer over the outer surface of the mold to release gelée. Lift off the mold, and serve gelée in slices with some of the mixed fruit and dollops of the yogurt.

• Hibiscus flowers are $1.30 an ounce at Aphrodisia (264 Bleecker Street). Pomegranate juice is $4 for a 10-ounce bottle, and leaf gelatin is $5 for 10 sheets, both at Dean & DeLuca (580 Broadway, at Prince Street).

3.5 hours (210 minutes)