Showstopper Jello Desserts

[Randi]

Yep, room temp as I found out the hard way.

My very first layer - the clear purple, was warm, but of course that didn't matter. Then the creamy purple jello had cooled before I added it. Then, silly me, I made the clear blue layer and poured it right on the cooled creamy purple layer. Oopsie!

You'll notice in my jigglers pic there really is not much of a discernable creamy purple layer - it blended in with the blue!

After that, I learned!

[TrishCT]

I am making this for tommorow. I have a quick question. Once you dissolve the gelatin, do you wait until it is completely cool before you start pouring?

The recipes seem to skip straight to the pouring part without mentioning what the temp should be.

Can it be warm or should it be completely room temp?

Thanks for the quick help!

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Actually I refrigerated each individual flavor (except for the last one because it got cool on its own) to get them colder than room temp (consistency of unbeaten egg whites).

I wouldn't use warm jello, it will melt the other layers.

If you re-read the recipe on RecipeGullet is does mention refrigerating the jello in the cups for 5 minutes or so.

Also...I made a mistake when I made my first one. When unmolding I dipped the pan in hot water. It started melting the red layer. That's why the red is so messy in my pictures. Just dip in warm for a few seconds and repeat if needed. Do NOT melt it like I did.

I am making another one this weekend we'll see how that goes.

**Thanks for the tip about the dollar store glasses...good idea!

Edited February 2, 2006 by TrishCT (log)

[Rachel Perlow]

Yep, room temp as I found out the hard way. 

My very first layer - the clear purple, was warm, but of course that didn't matter.  Then the creamy purple jello had cooled before I added it.  Then, silly me, I made the clear blue layer and poured it right on the cooled creamy purple layer. Oopsie!

You'll notice in my jigglers pic there really is not much of a discernable creamy purple layer - it blended in with the blue!

After that, I learned!

←

That's sort of what happened to me the first time I made it, which is why I now advise to make all the jello at once and leave it out at room temperature. When I add a layer, I then put the cup of room temp, next color, jello in the fridge to start the chilling, for the 15 minutes between layers.

Someone gave me a tip that I haven't had to try yet... If a layer sets up too much (not tacky anymore), use a hair dryer to slightly melt it before adding the next layer. If someone has this problem, try it and let us know how it worked.

[azureus]

As this thread is all about amazing Jello, I thought that a link to this artist Liz Hickok's site would be appreciated: San Francisco in Jello

Here's a statement from her site:

This project consists of photographs and video, which depict various San Francisco landscapes. I make the landscapes by constructing scale models of the architectural elements which I use to make molds. I then cast the buildings in Jell-O. Similar to making a movie set, I add backdrops, which I often paint, and elements such as mountains or trees, and then I dramatically light the scenes from the back or underneath. The Jell-O sculptures quickly decay, leaving the photographs and video as the remains.

I definitely need to start playing with jello myself.

April

[Randi]

As this thread is all about amazing Jello, I thought that a link to this artist Liz Hickok's site would be appreciated: San Francisco in Jello

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OK that is so damn cool. Now our rainbow molds seem so...so...pedestrian!

[Rachel Perlow]

All the buildings look wobbly, like the photograph was taken in the middle of an earthquake, cool.

[azureus]

As this thread is all about amazing Jello, I thought that a link to this artist Liz Hickok's site would be appreciated: San Francisco in Jello

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OK that is so damn cool. Now our rainbow molds seem so...so...pedestrian!

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Nah! After all, she was only using one color per mold. The rainbow molds were much more work, plus they got devoured. Doesn't that make it performance art?

April

[whisks]

thanks for letting us in on the hairdryer tip - i had to leave my jelly overnight when i last made it because i realised too late that i didn't have lemon and didn't want to hit the shops again. i already mentioned earlier that i used barely warm jello for the next layer to help make them bond. the colours didn't mix, and the layers did bond, so i guess that's another method

[TrishCT]

This is the story about the Jello mold that just won't quit. Inspired by Rachel Perlow, I decided to see if my teenaged daughter and a friend could make the Rainbow Ribbon Gelatin Mold from the directions, tips and tricks devised from Rachel and other e-gulletters. Sure enough, the girls had great success. They especially liked the look of the dessert in the wine glasses.

I wrote an article about in Home magazine, a monthly supplement for the group of newspapers I work for.

From the article, several people contacted me to say they loved the look of it (and were also thrilled to learn about the e-gullet Web site) and were going to make the mold for Easter. I made it for Easter too, and brought it (still in the Bundt pan) on ice, in a cooler, from Connecticut to New Jersey. It arrived intact and drew a lot of fanfare. I think this should be subtitled "The Happy Dessert" because when people see it they laugh and have a great time with it.

I am enclosing a link to the article (will probably only be good for a few weeks, then the story will go into archives) as well as a photo of the actual article, and a closeup of the girls' handiwork.

Thanks to everyone here who helped on this recipe.

The complete article is available for now at this Web site, click on Home at bottom of page, then scroll down to the Jell-O picture and click on it for the article.

An overview of the article:

One Big Jello Shot

Edited April 17, 2006 by TrishCT (log)

[whisks]

hi trish,

your article looks great! but i'm having trouble opening the page - the one i get has the article without pictures - is that right? at any rate, it's thrilling to see the jello mold have its fame spread further!

congratulations!

[freddurf]

Rachel, you've started a new trend that's going to sweep the nation!

[TrishCT]

Here are a couple more images from the article:

Rainbow Ribbon Wine Glasses

Katie's first unmolding

[TrishCT]

I just had a report from someone who made the Rainbow Ribbon Gelatin for Easter using white wine glasses instead of the mold. Following a variation mentioned on this thread, for the creamy layer she used cream of coconut from a can (the kind many of us use for pina coladas) mixed with a small amount of Malibu Rum to thin it out a little. She said it tasted wonderful and everyone raved over it.

Anyone else try other variations...?

[Catherine Iino]

I, too, made the Rainbow Jello mold for Easter. I did the bundt pan version. My brother and my daughter love Jello, so I thought it would be a great surprise for them. I think the recipe in recipe gullet says it serves 20, but 6 of us--my husband wouldn't touch the stuff--ate about two-thirds of it. Like everyone else, I received oohs and aahs all out of proportion to the difficulty of the recipe. I mean, I've made dacquoises and the likes for these folks, for heaven's sake! But, in fact, the Jello mold isn't quite as easy as Rachel et al. made it seem. If you don't time the layers exactly right, and pour the next layer very, very gently, you loosen pieces of the preceding layer, especially the white ones. The result was glorious anyway.

I have to say, making a Jello mold is the last thing I expected to inspired to do by egullet. (My daughters' second response, after the oohs and aahs, was, "But, Mom, you don't believe in blue food!")

[whisks]

I have to say, making a Jello mold is the last thing I expected to inspired to do by egullet.

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i cannot but agree - i too, surprised myself when i made this. but it was such a fun change from serious "foodie" food everyone was used to me making - it really lightened things up. the gatherings i have made this for has included both young and old, and everyone has loved it - the young ones think it is "cool" and it probably makes the older ones feel young again. i think it has been a wonderful change of scene for all of us! an added bonus is that it tastes delicious (i use coconut cream for my white layers and the flavours are pleasantly complimentary).

i also make little jello molds for a deli, thinking that it would be something mothers would buy for their littlies' parties, but they have also been a hit for teenagers (and adults having "young again" or "forever young" parties).

i can't thank rachel enough for rediscovering this gem for us on egullet. may we all continue to be inspired.

[kthull]

This past Christmas I did a layered Jell-O mold (sure wish I had this thread to guide me). But the family recipe for a single flavor mold is with cream cheese. 3oz per small box of Jell-O. The way I got it to work (MIL's always, always, always separates) is to have room temp cream cheese and zap it with an immersion blender set inside a small 2 cup measure. No graininess and it holds the emulsion long enough to set.

Next year, it will be in a bundt pan and layered with the straight jell-o. I love being able to top what the family finds untoppable. Thanks everyone!

[KitchenQueen]

Perhaps this should belong on the stupid question thread, but here goes..

I heard some of you mention it's tough to get the layers level in the bundt pan,and I had a brainstorm (or head hurricane)

I 'll bet many of us have a 12-15 inch level in our garage. The kind with the bubble in the middle. A cover on the pan, lay the level on top.

Then adjust with a paper towel shim if needed.

Wouldn't that be easier than frequent 1/4 turning?

And yes, it would look rather strange if your neighbor opened your fridge.

[Tweety69bird]

But, in fact, the Jello mold isn't quite as easy as Rachel et al. made it seem. If you don't time the layers exactly right, and pour the next layer very, very gently, you loosen pieces of the preceding layer, especially the white ones.

I haven't made this yet, but I'm thinking if you pour your next layer onto the previous layer using the back of a spoon to soften the "pour" it may prevent the first layer from moving.

[miladyinsanity]

But, in fact, the Jello mold isn't quite as easy as Rachel et al. made it seem. If you don't time the layers exactly right, and pour the next layer very, very gently, you loosen pieces of the preceding layer, especially the white ones.

I haven't made this yet, but I'm thinking if you pour your next layer onto the previous layer using the back of a spoon to soften the "pour" it may prevent the first layer from moving.

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It does. Well, it does for agar-agar, so I imagine it'd work just fine for Jello too.

[Catherine Iino]

I did try the back-of-the-spoon thing, sometimes with better effect than others. What worked best for me was actually spooning the jello in over the white layers, although sometimes that set too fast. I think the jello mixed with the yogurt is particularly tender, so those layers could be dislodged by even a slightly forceful trickle. Still, as I said, the whole mold looked great in the end. The white layers really do make the thing glow.

[whisks]

if you find the white jello layers a bit on the delicate side, make the jello more concentrated for the white layers. i do and don't have this problem.

[Becca Porter]

While I am posting pictures I thought I would add my Jello mold. I made it for my inlaws at Easter. They were all really surprised and impressed when I unmolded it. The kids and adults really love these things. Thanks so much for the inspiration Rachel.

[yunnermeier]

I just wanted to say that this jello dessert has been in Malaysia for years . The different colours like the ones on this thread only came out a few years back but before this, they were usually red &white or green &yellow or something.

[alanamoana]

rainbow jello is definitely an asian/islander thing! i grew up in hawaii where it was a staple (as bite sized cubes) at any picnic or potluck event.

yunnermeier, is it more common to use agar than gelatin? sometimes the texture of the asian version is much firmer.

[yunnermeier]

Yes agar agar is more common but kuih lapis isn't firm (Tepee ,if you read this, what do they use for kuih lapis?).

We also use coconut milk instead of milk