Glass Block Holiday Jell-O
My mom tells me that Jell-O was a big thing of the 70s. You weren’t considered a real cook if you didn’t make a decent Jell-O dish. In fact, I still have a copy of the “Joys of Jell-O” cookbook, which belonged to my mom. In the beginning of the cookbook, there is a little Jell-O history. Did you know that Jell-O goes back as far as 1897? There aren’t a lot of brands in your kitchen that go back that far! When she gave me the cookbook, we would laugh about all of the Jell-O recipes with veggies in them. Can you imagine green olives in Jell-O? Ewww.
I am looking over a recipe right now called Variety Salad. It’s got Jell-O, Diced tomato, lima beans, celery, Worcestershire sauce, onion and more. Can you imagine? With the weird Jell-O dishes aside, there are some truly yummy Jell-O recipes out there.
For Christmas, it was my job to create a tasty Jell-O dish. My sister found this super fun Glass Block Holiday Jell-O recipe from Our Best Bites, and I just had to make it! I thought it would make for a very pretty mold using a bundt pan, and it did! This was so pretty that it could serve as a centerpiece too.
Boil 5 cups of water. Using 4 different colors of Jell-O, pour 1 cup of boiling water on top of a 3 oz pkg of Jell-O. Stir until dissolved, and pour into a greased tupperware container. Repeat process with remaining three boxes of Jell-O. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
When Jell-O is firm, cut each color into bite size cubes. It is okay to have a variety of sizes if you’d like. Pour cubes into a greased 9×13 pan, or a bundt pan.
Pour 1/2 cup cold water over 2 packets of unflavored gelatin. When dissolved, add 1 1/2 cups boiling water, and stir. Mix in a can of sweetened condensed milk.
Pour sweetened condensed milk mixture over the Jell-O cubes. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
To remove from mold, carefully run a knife around the edges of the pan, and flip over onto a serving tray. If using a 9×13 pan, cut into rectangles, or shapes using cookie cutters.
What is the strangest Jell-O recipe you’ve tried or seen? This one has got to be among the coolest!
Glass Block Holiday Jell-O
- 4 3-oz. packages assorted Jello
- 2 packets unflavored gelatin (Knox or store brand)
- 1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
- Spray 4 small containers (tupperware works) with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Bring approximately 5 cups of water to a boil. Combine 1 cup of the boiling water with 1 package of Jello, stirring until dissolved. Place the dissolved Jello in one of the prepared containers. Repeat with the remaining packages of Jello. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.
- When the Jello has set, bring another 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil.
- While the water is heating, sprinkle 2 packets of unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup of cold water. Allow to stand for about 4 minutes before pouring the boiled water over the dissolved gelatin. Stir to combine.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix well. Bring to room temperature.
- Lightly spray a 9×13 pan or bundt pan, with non-stick cooking spray.
- Carefully cut the colored Jello into cubes and gently toss to combine in the sprayed pan.
- Pour the cooled milk mixture over the colored Jello and, if necessary, rearrange some of the colored Jello to make sure it is evenly distributed and not sticking too far out of the white mixture.
- Chill jello overnight before serving. If making in a 9×13 pan, you can cut shapes with cookie cutters, or serve as rectangles.
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Michelle says
My mom makes this amazing orange jello dish. It has vanilla ice cream, frozen oj concentrate, Mandarin oranges and orange jello in it. So yummy and refreshing.
Emily Lyon says
That does sound good Michelle!
Karen Medlin says
I have to agree this is cool, I have purchased something similar in the deli before and always wondering how they had gotten the white part of the jello.. now the secret is out!.. Now I can make a bigger mold instead of buying a few of those small molds of jello in the deli.. Thank You for sharing.!
Emily Lyon says
Happy to oblige Karen! lol
Jackie says
When normally preparing jello you add cold water after it has dissolved in the hot. Am I correct that you did not add any cold water to the flavored jello?
Emily Buys says
That is correct!