1 cup diced fennel, plus fennel fronds for garnish
4 pink grapefruits, cut into sections
¼ cup St-Germain elderflower liqueur
1 cup jicama, peeled and diced
Directions
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over 1½ tablespoons of water and stir to combine. (The gelatin will seize up and become a translucent mass.) Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes, until the gelatin is fully bloomed.
In a large saucepan, bring the milk, cream, 1 cup water, ½ cup sugar, salt, almond extract and brandy to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin until it melts completely into the milk mixture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and divide into eight 4-ounce molds. Refrigerate until set, 3 to 4 hours.
Place the grapefruit sections in a bowl. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining ½ cup water and the remaining cup of sugar to a boil, stirring until the water has completely dissolved. Add the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and the fennel and simmer until the fennel is translucent, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool, then strain the liquid into a bowl, reserving the fennel. Stir in the St-Germain, pour the liquid over the grapefruit sections and refrigerate.
To serve, unmold the puddings in the center of 8 shallow bowls and surround each with grapefruit sections and a drizzle of the syrup. Sprinkle the jicama and fennel around the puddings, top with fennel fronds and toasted almond slivers, if using, and serve.