1. Empty gelatin onto ½ cup of cold dairy-free milk alternative. Let sit for five minutes, allowing gelatin to bloom. 2. Heat 1 ½ cups of dairy-free milk alternative until it is near boiling. 3. Combine cold and hot liquids and stir until gelatin has dissolved. 4. Following the directions on the instant pudding package, stir in dry pudding mixture and whisk for recommended amount of time. 5. Pour mixture into greased mold and refrigerate until congealed.
Comments: We are so excited to share this recipe with you!
For dairy-free folks, instant pudding can be a real disappointment. Here at dontbreakthemold.com, we’ve found that the recommended reduction in the amount of dairy-free milk does not guarantee a result that is consistently similar to the original recipe’s taste and texture. While we’ve always been fairly successful with the dairy-free method for cook and serve pudding, it’s always helpful to have an easier, less labor-intensive option available to us.
Paramount for us is the ability to enjoy the aesthetics of gelatin while retaining the creamy texture of pudding. Can we all agree that a molded pudding – free from the constraints of a bowl – is a more dramatic way to end a dinner party, whether on its own or dotted with whipped cream, bejeweled with candied or fresh fruit, or spattered with a rich sauce? And, really, what would suit a detailed, Victorian-era mold more than a rich, pudding-based gelatin! This recipe is both a delightful throwback and a step forward.
We hope that you try this recipe and enjoy it as much as we did! We loved how the gelatin enhanced the pistachio pudding, and we’re looking forward to experimenting with other flavors soon.
Honeyed Wine and Grapefruit Cocktail 1 packet unflavored gelatin 1 cup sweet rosé or blush wine ½ cup water 1+ tablespoon honey 1 small can of ruby red grapefruit
1. Add packet of gelatin to cold water and let sit for about five minutes as it blooms. 2. When gelatin is fully hydrated, combine with wine and microwave for about one minute in 30-second intervals. The liquid should be warm enough to dissolve the gelatin, but not hot or boiling. 3. Stir honey into warm liquid and stir until it dissolves. 4. Pour into molds and let chill until gelatin congeals. 5. Before unmolding, add canned grapefruit slices to sherbet cups. Prior to serving, garnish with additional slices as desired.
Comments: This gelatin has both fruit and alcohol, so I’m calling it a cocktail.
I’m really proud of this recipe. It looks fancy but isn’t fussy, and it has a sophisticated flavor profile without requiring a long list of ingredients. It’s the perfect addition to an elegant evening.
While I would be thrilled for you to use the exact amounts specified above, much of this recipe is about personal preferences. Want to use more wine? Substitute wine for some or all of the water. Want to use your favorite wine? Go for it! I used White Zinfandel, a family favorite that flows in abundance at wedding, wakes, and holidays.
As we’ve all heard, presentation is very important. For this recipe, the use of smaller molds gave me a serendipitous advantage to the plating process. Gelatin releases quickly from metal molds of this size, and I find it difficult to control additional melting. During unmolding, this usually undesirable liquid worked in my favor as it filled the crevices created within the grapefruit bases. After an additional hour of refrigeration to set the gelatin, the mini-masterpieces were more secure in their serving dishes, and the grapefruit perfectly enveloped.
I hope that you experiment with this recipe at your next event. It’s up to you to decide whether this is an aperitif, a palette cleanser, or a dessert!
Raspberry Jell-O Mold From the kitchen of Aunt Pearl
3 oz package of raspberry Jell-O 1 ½ cups boiling water 1 ½ cup cold water 10 ounces frozen raspberries 10 ounces applesauce
1. Dissolve Jell-O packets in boiling water, stirring until liquid is clear. 2. Stir in frozen raspberries until they are defrosted and Jell-O begins to thicken. 3. Stir in cold water and applesauce and pour into mold. 4. Chill for about four hours before serving. If desired, garnish with fresh raspberries, sour cream, or whipped cream.
Comments: This family favorite is easy to make and always enjoyed by our guests. Thanks, Great Aunt Pearl!
Sunset Jelly 1 ½ cups pulp-free orange juice 1 ½ cups cranberry-raspberry juice 2+ tablespoons sugar 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin Raspberries (optional)
1. Sprinkle 1 packet of gelatin on surface of the orange juice. Let sit five minutes. 2. Heat orange juice, gelatin, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir until dissolved. 4. Taste, and if desired, add more sugar one teaspoon at a time. 5. Cool slightly in refrigerator before adding to molds or serving cups. 6. Repeat Steps 1 through 5 with cranberry-raspberry juice. 7. Add layer of cranberry-raspberry juice to molds or serving cups when the orange juice gelatin is still viscous but almost solidified. 7. Refrigerate until ready to serve, garnished with raspberries.
Fruit Juice Knox Blox Makes about 9 dozen
4 envelopes KNOX Unflavored Gelatine 1 cup cold fruit juice 3 cups fruit juice, heating to boiling 2 tablespoons sugar or honey, optional
1. Sprinkle gelatin over cold juice in large bowl; let stand 1 minute. Add hot juice and stir until gelatin completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar or honey if desired. Pour into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. 2. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. To serve, cut into 1-inch squares.
Comments: This beautiful dessert is a perfect end to a boozy, heavy meal. Wow your guests with its bright colors, texture, and what some believe to be a sobering introduction of fructose, Vitamin C and potassium.
This method is simply a modification of the “Knox Blox” recipe found on every packet of Knox’s Gelatine. It’s easy to make and modify, and I recommend tasting throughout the process. Feel free to also substitute some of the juice with alcohol, if desired.
Using individual molds allows you to be a bit lazier about the cooking process, but, if you decide to heighten the drama by using a mold, be sure to add the second layer before the first is fully congealed. Bon Appetit!
Soak the gelatine in the cold water five minutes and dissolve with the boiling water; add the sugar and stir until dissolved and cooled; then add the lemon juice and strain through a cheese cloth into molds.
Fruit Juice Knox Blox Makes about 9 dozen
4 envelopes KNOX Unflavored Gelatine 1 cup cold fruit juice 3 cups fruit juice, heating to boiling 2 tablespoons sugar or honey, optional
1. Sprinkle gelatin over cold juice in large bowl; let stand 1 minute. Add hot juice and stir until gelatin completely dissolves, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar or honey if desired. Pour into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. 2. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. To serve, cut into 1-inch squares.
Comments: I developed this idea after buying a giant bag of frozen blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries from a big box store to use in smoothies. I don’t enjoy drinking blackberry seeds, so during the months of smoothies that followed, I separated the blackberries from the others without a clear plan on how i would use them. What’s a lady to do with cups of a fruit she can’t easily blend? This lady (with two thumbs) decided to experiment with gelatin.
This dessert is the perfect end to a summer meal or an elegant dinner. It’s beautiful, light, and can be easily adjusted for different palates. I recommend tasting both gelatin mixtures throughout the cooking process to confirm that the amounts of sugar, herbs, and juice will appeal to your guests.
If the addition of basil seems odd to you, you may omit it, but I would caution against it. While I’m content with the peppery sweetness that basil adds to the blackberry gelatin, I also think that mint would be a pleasing alternative. I encourage you to be creative and tailor the recipe to your own preferences!
As for presentation, the lime and blackberry jellies make an impressive finale when layered in a larger mold or in individual dishes. If you a planning to use a larger mold, be sure to add the second layer before the original has congealed completely. Add to the dessert a few basil leaves or mint leaves for color and…Voila! Color, drama, and sophistication – your supper club can have it all.
Manhattan Salad 1 ¾ cups boiling water ¼ cup lemon juice ¼ cup sugar (scant) 1 cup granny smith apples 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup celery lettuce (optional)
1. Combine gelatin with ¼ cup water. Let sit for five minutes. 2. Heat remaining water until boiling and add gelatin. Stir until dissolved. 3. Add lemon juice and refrigerate until viscous. 4. Mix in apples, pecans, and celery. Stir to combine and pour into a single or individual molds. 5. If desired, serve on lettuce leaves.
Original Recipe JELL-O America’s Most Famous Dessert, c. 1920
Dissolve one package of Lemon Jell-O in a pint of boiling water. While it is cooling, chop one cup tart apples, one cup English walnuts, one cup celery, and season with salt. Mix these ingredients and pour over them the Jell-O. Cool in individual moulds, and serve on crisp lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing. This is an especially fine salad.
Lemon Jelly Charles B. Knox Gelatine Co.’s Dainty Desserts for Dainty People, c. 1920
Soak the gelatine in the cold water five minutes and dissolve with the boiling water; add the sugar and stir until dissolved and cooled; then add the lemon juice and strain through a cheese cloth into molds.
Comments: Oh, glorious Manhattan! Known for its museums, theaters, parks and…gelatin salad? Eh, perhaps not. This salad, though not especially fine, is a pleasant addition to a family meal.
I made a few changes to the original recipe. After replacing the lemon Jell-O packet with lemon juice and a reduced amount of sugar, I decide to omit the salt. I also substituted pecans for the walnuts to eliminate the chalky texture that my tasters dislike. If pecans are not available to you, toasting the walnuts would also enhance the texture and flavor in a favorable way.
I also chose to serve the salad without the mayonnaise; though it’s an unnecessary addition, it would add a tangy bite for those who prefer a dressing on their gelatin.
Emerald Seas Dessert 1 cup boiling water 1 packet unflavored gelatin 1 cup sugar 2 envelopes gelatin unflavored ¾ cup fresh lime juice 3 large mint sprigs 1 ¼ cup cool water Green food coloring Dairy-free whipped cream Chopped crystalized ginger (optional)
Combine gelatin and ¼ cup cool water and set aside.
Heat 1 cup water and sugar to a boil, stirring as sugar dissolves.
Add gelatin and stir until dissolved and remove from heat.
Add lime juice and 3 mint sprigs, both stems and leaves, and steep for 15 minutes.
Remove mint and add remaining cup of cool water and food coloring. Stir to combine.
Pour half of the gelatin mixture into mold and cool until almost set. This may require a short time in the freezer.
Refrigerate remaining gelatin mixture until viscous then, using a mixer, beat on high until it has doubled in size.
Add whipped gelatin mixture to mold and refrigerate until set.
Serve with whipped cream and crystalized ginger, if desired.
Lemon Jelly Charles B. Knox Gelatine Co.’s Dainty Desserts for Dainty People, c. 1920
Soak the gelatine in the cold water five minutes and dissolve with the boiling water; add the sugar and stir until dissolved and cooled; then add the lemon juice and strain through a cheese cloth into molds.
Under-The-Sea Salad Joys of Jello, 5th Edition “Pears and cream cheese lie beneath a clear sea-green layer after unmolding.”
1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O lime gelatin ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup boiling water 1 can (1 lb.) pear halves) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese 1/8 teaspoon ginger
Dissolve Jell-O Gelatin and salt in boiling water. Drain pears measuring ¾ cup syrup; add water, if necessary. Dice pears and set aside. Add pear syrup and lemon juice to gelatin. Measure 1 ¼ cups into a 1-quart mold. Chill until set, but not firm.
Meanwhile, soften cheese until creamy. Gradually add remaining gelatin, blending until smooth. Add ginger. Chill until very thick. Fold in pears. Spoon into mold. Chill until firm. Unmold on crisp lettuce. Makes about 4 cups, or 8 side salads.
Foam Over the Sea Yankee Church Supper Cookbook, 1980 “An apt name for a pretty gelatin salad. The dressing is important to the dish.”
1 3-oz. pkg. lime gelatin 1 cup boiling water 1 cup pear juice (drained from canned pears) ½ t. vinegar ½ t. ground ginger, or 1 t. chopped crystalline ginger 1 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 2 cups drained and diced canned pears (2 1-lb cans) 2 T. honey 1 cup mayonnaise
Dissolve gelatin in water, and add pear juice and vinegar. Pour half of the gelatin into a flat 6” x 10” glass dish and refrigerate until set. Cool remaining gelatin until syrupy and whip. Work ginger and creamed cheese into gelatin as you whip. Fold in pears. Spread mixture over gelatin which has set in the refrigerator. Chill. To make dressing, whip together honey and mayonnaise. Serve salad with lettuce and dressing. Serves 6.
Submitted by Carolyn Buck, Wapping Community Church, South Windsor, Connecticut
Comments: The foam of the ocean! The clear green sea! The refreshing and tropical taste of lime and mint! This modern recipe is a little bit church supper and a little bit ladies’ night.
Our desire for a fresh tasting dessert made from all natural ingredients encouraged us to use unflavored gelatin and easy-to-source ingredients like lime juice and mint. Eschewing shortcuts like flavored gelatin and artificial flavoring allowed us to create a dessert with clear flavor notes and an appealing sugar to sour ratio, while the addition of green food coloring and a more complex method allowed us to play with color and texture.
The green food coloring is optional, but we liked the deep green that one drop – yes, only one drop! – of coloring gave to the gelatin mixture. It’s bright and festive, but the dessert would be equally delicious without it. Also optional is the crystallized ginger, which adds a strong by refreshing natural flavor. We suggest serving it on the side, as it may not appeal to all.
As for serving suggestions, the dessert would look equally attractive in individual portions as it would unmolded on a plate. We like the idea of the mint green foam crowning a clear green layer of emerald sea in individual sherbet glasses.
2/3 cups cold water 1 envelope unflavored gelatin Juice from a small orange Grated orange peel 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice 1 ¼ cups sugar 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1. Soak the gelatin in one-third cup cold water five minutes. 2. Combine sugar and one-third cup cold water in a large pot and heat until boiling. 3. Add the gelatin and boil slowly but steadily twenty minutes until the mixture begins to form consistent threads. You may need to remove the sugar-gelatin mixture from the burner from time to time in order to control the boiling sugar. 4. Remove mixture from heat and add the orange rind and fruit juice, a total of about one-quarter cup of fruit juice. 5. Pour in the mixture into a straight-sided container to the depth of one inch. 6. When firmly set immerse mold in warm water; turn out and cut in cubes and roll in confectioner’s sugar and cornstarch. Note: Recipe can be varied by using different fruit juices, flavorings, and food coloring.
Original Recipe Charles B. Knox Gelatine Co.’s Dainty Desserts for Dainty People, c. 1920
Soak the gelatine in two-thirds cup cold water five minutes. Put sugar on stove in two-thirds cup cold water, and when it comes to boiling point add the gelatine. Boil slowly but steadily twenty minutes; add the grated rind and juice of the orange and the juice of the lemon (there should be one-half large cup of fruit juice). Wet tin with cold water and pour in the mixture to the depth of one inch. When firmly set immerse mold in warm water; turn out and cut in cubes and roll in confectioner’s sugar to which has been added a teaspoonful of cornstarch. Vary by using different fruit juices, flavorings, and colorings.
Comments: This delicious Turkish delight or lokum requires a familiarity with candy-making, but it is not impossible for beginners to master.
While this recipe could be considered a variation of the traditional orange bergamot flavor, it deviates from other methods in two critical ways. Instead of gelatin, traditional recipes call for cream of tartar and cornstarch, which are added only after the sugar reaches the soft ball stage, not prior to it. With these changes, the gelatin-based Turkish delight is a little softer but still very similar to – if not better than – the Turkish delight available in stores.
Beginner cooks can be confused by the different stages of cooking sugar. I recommend that those feeling less than confident look at this website and spend a few minutes on Google. Confidence is key, as is a sense of caution. You can always continue to cook the sugar, but you cannot reverse the solidification process!
In the past, I’ve enjoyed Turkish delight flavored with rosewater and pistachios, but this flavor is equally enjoyable. Try serving this elegant dessert in a vintage or crystal candy dish with your afternoon coffee or tea. It is a special treat your guests will remember.
1 package Raspberry Jell-O Pint of boiling water 3 bananas Lemon Juice (approximately 3 tablespoons) ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (to taste) Lettuce, banana slices, and walnuts (optional)
1. Dissolve a package of Raspberry Jell-O in a pint of boiling water and fill mold(s) one-fourth full. Let gel until almost solid. 2. Coarsely chop three bananas, sprinkle with lemon juice. 3. Add nuts and mix. 4. Put the mixture in the molds and cover it with the rest of the now thickened, cooled Jell-O. Shake the mold to ensure that all the cracks and crevices of the banana-nut layer are filled, then chill until completely gelled. 5. Before serving, arrange on lettuce with slices of banana sprinkled with nutmeats placed around the turned out Jell-O.
Original Recipe JELL-O: America’s Most Famous Dessert, c. 1920
Dissolve a package of Raspberry Jell-O in a pint of boiling water and fill individual molds or cups one-fourth full. Let harden. Coarsely chop three bananas, sprinkle with lemon juice, add half a cup of English walnut meats coarsely chopped. Put the mixture in the molds and pour the rest of the Jell-O when it is cold and has begun to thicken. At serving time arrange on lettuce with slices of banana sprinkled with nutmeats placed around the turned out Jell-O. Serve with cream salad dressing.
Comments: Taster-approved, this salad is fruity and sweet. Use pecans if your guests do not like the chalky texture of walnuts, and omit the mayonnaise unless you’re craving the addition of vinegar. This gelatin does not need a dressing to enhance it.
Beauty Salad is aptly named. Widely considered a superfood, bananas are wonderful for your skin because they contain an abundance of potassium, manganese, and Vitamin C. This trifecta brightens your skin, increases collagen levels, and helps skin heal quickly. Walnuts too, aid digestion and skin health, as they are good source of antioxidants and Omega-3 oils. The collagen in gelatin also contributes to skin health, but the sugars in the flavored gelatin may counteract any of the gelatin’s benefits. This salad may not be the best choice for skin health, but it is better than some other options. It could be easily classified as a healthier dessert.
As for presentation, I had some trouble unmolding this salad, and the weather made it difficult to find an area for proper photography. The result? A less than spectacular photo of shifted salad sitting on the bench in the entranceway. Voila and onward.
“Since this salad is so packed full of delicious ingredients, unmolding might seem a frightful task. Here’s a helpful tip: Once your congealed salad is molded, take a bowl or a casserole dish and fill it with hot (not boiling) tap water. Gently submerge the bottom of the mold into the hot tap water for 5 to 10 seconds. This process loosens the outer edges, making it easy to invert and slide out onto your serving dish.”
¼ cup cold water 1 (10 ½-oz.) can beef broth 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip) 1 medium onion, quartered 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed 4 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered ½ pound cooked bacon, crumbled
1. Pour the cold water and 1/4 of the cup beef broth into blender and sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand until gelatin is softened, 3 minutes. Heat remaining beef broth in a saucepan over high heat to boiling point. Pour into blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process at low speed until gelatin is dissolved, using a rubber spatula to push gelatin granules into the broth mixture. Add salt, lemon juice, and salad dressing and process until well blended.
2. Add the onion and cover. Process at high speed until onion is chopped. Add the spinach and eggs and cover. Process at high speed just until eggs are coarsely chopped.
3. Stir in the bacon and pour into a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 6-cup mold. Chill until firm, 4 hours. Unmold and garnish with cherry tomatoes.
Comments: It’s a real shame that this isn’t worth recommending, because this salad has, as the quote above states, so many delicious ingredients. Unfortunately, this particular combination falls flat.
I have several ideas that might improve this recipe. The first is to alter the ratio of mayonnaise to spinach to stop the salad from tasting too fatty and feeling too heavy. This could be accomplished by either significantly reducing the amount of mayonnaise, changing the brand of mayonnaise (see note below), or increasing the amount of spinach.
While preparing the salad, I altered the method in three small ways. I reduced the amount of bacon and sprinkled it on top just before serving it, because the original amount seemed excessive and soggy bacon is always a bad idea. In addition, I substituted chopped tomatoes for the cherry tomatoes because I wanted it to be easier to enjoy some tomato with every bite.
A cultural note: It took me a moment to realize that “salad dressing” meant mayonnaise! Too funny. Because I’ve been enjoying the content produced by It’s a Southern Thing, I decided to use Blue Plate, the mayonnaise that won their blind taste test. In comparison to Cains, my favorite brand in New England, Blue Plate has a very high percentage of egg yolk, which gives it a richer taste and creamier texture.
Blue Plate is sold only in Southern states, while Cains is sold only in New England, so they are representative of two (sometimes very) different food cultures. In New England, most of the classic entrees and their ingredients are lightly-spiced and fairly mild, while in the South, I’ve found that almost every entree and many individual ingredients – including Blue Plate – contain either more seasoning or a higher fat content than their Northern equivalents. I say this as an observation, not a complaint!
Lastly, does anyone recognize this mold? (Hint: A lucky guess, perhaps?) I almost never buy holiday-themed cooking utensils, but I purchased this in a bundle, and I wanted to try it. I was hoping that the garnish would be enough to camouflage the shape, but I don’t think that I was entirely successful.
Don't Break the Mold 