Orange Jelly in Ambush

By the RecipeCafe Archives

Ingredients

• 4 large navel oranges (halved lengthwise, pulp and juice reserved)
• 1 Orange Jelly (prepared from reserved orange juice — see notes)
• 1 Charlotte Russe mixture (prepared separately — see notes)
• 1 Narrow white ribbon, for tying

Instructions

1. 1. Halve 4 large navel oranges lengthwise. Using a paring knife and spoon, carefully remove the pulp and juice, keeping the shells intact. Reserve all juice; discard or set aside pulp. You should have 8 orange shell halves.
2. 2. Strain the reserved orange juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Use this juice as the liquid base to prepare Orange Jelly (a separate gelatin-set preparation — see notes). Pour the finished, still-liquid jelly into 4 of the 8 orange shell halves, filling each to within 1/4 inch (6 mm) of the rim.
3. 3. Place the jelly-filled shells upright in a muffin tin or nest them in a bed of rice or sugar to keep them level. Refrigerate until fully set, 2 to 3 hours, until the jelly no longer moves when the shell is gently nudged and feels firm to a light fingertip press.
4. 4. Prepare the Charlotte Russe mixture separately (a cream-and-gelatin filling — see notes). Spoon or pipe the still-pourable Charlotte Russe mixture into the remaining 4 orange shell halves, filling each to within 1/4 inch (6 mm) of the rim. Refrigerate alongside the jelly shells until fully set, 2 to 3 hours, until the surface is firm and does not indent under light pressure.
5. 5. Once both fillings are fully set and cold, match each jelly-filled half with a Charlotte Russe-filled half, pressing the flat cut faces together to form a whole orange shape. Tie each reconstructed orange securely around its equator with a length of narrow white ribbon, knotting or bowing as desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate, loosely covered, for up to 2 hours before serving.