desserts & jello & kids & party food 03 Mar 2009 01:54 am
Layered Jello
This is an old, typical Hawaii potluck recipe for Layered Jello. Always gorgeous for parties!
Ingredients:
4 packages JELLO (3 oz each) -
orange, lime, blue rasberry, strawberry
6 envelopes KNOX unflavored gelatin
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
Mix 1 cup condensed milk with 1 cup hot water. Set aside. Mix 2 envelopes Knox gelatin with 1 cup hot water; combine with milk mixture and set aside
Combine Orange JELLO, 1 envelope Knox gelatin and 1-1/2 cups hot water. Cool, then pour into a 9×13 pyrex. Place in refrigerator to set for about 30 minutes.
*Note – the Hawaii version says to grease pan with mayonnaise – the thought of that makes me want to vomit. I hate mayonaisse. We just poured it in as is and it didn’t stick, thank god, cause everyone knows – mayonaisse=barf. HA!
Pour about 1 cup of the milk mixture for the next later. Refrigerate to set. Now each layer will only take 15 minutes to set – yay – much faster!
Combine lime JELLO, 1 envelope Knox gelatin and 1-1/2 cup hot water. Cook, and pour carefully over the milk mixture, then place in the refridgerator for another 15 minutes.
Repeat the milk mixture….
Now the blue raspberry…
Then the milk mixture…(I know this is boring but the payoff is worth it…)
Finally end with the strawberry! And set til you’re ready to serve…
The final product looks like this, and when you cut it…GORGEOUS!!
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on 03 Mar 2009 at 5:19 am 1.foodlibrarian said …
Man, I love this jello! I just made broken glass jello – thanks for the inspiration!!!
on 03 Mar 2009 at 1:25 pm 2.Amy I. said …
This is great! Can’t wait to try it. You inspired me to blog about all things rainbow today, and I included your layered jello
on 06 Mar 2009 at 7:08 am 3.Pam Harris said …
Now THIS is seriously cool! And so beautiful.
on 12 Mar 2009 at 4:05 pm 4.sharna said …
I made this today for my daughter’s birthday! Way fun. I had a little trouble but I’m guessing it’s just a practice makes perfect thing. My green layer kind of melted into the white layer so the blue layer I let set longer before adding the final white layer but the white mixture then set up in the bowl that I’d set aside and I had to spread it on instead of pour it on, it was no longer a liquid…. So the top layer looks a little funky, you can tell through the red layer that the top white layer is all lumpy and what not…. I figure I’ll serve it upside down and maybe no one will notice…. We’ll try this one again! Thanks for sharing it!!!
on 24 Mar 2009 at 6:59 pm 5.Leina said …
Where did you find the KNOX unflavored gelatin? I tried Wal-Mart but had no luck!
on 24 Mar 2009 at 7:25 pm 6.justJENN said …
Try any major supermarket, it should be in the jello/baking aisle!
on 03 Apr 2009 at 5:27 pm 7.Jami said …
I’m doing this right now and having the same melting problem… guess I need my jello to be cooler and I need each layer to set longer. I’m only two color layers in, so there’s still hope it won’t look totally gross…
on 03 Apr 2009 at 6:21 pm 8.justJENN said …
Hm. Yeah – don’t pour it in boiling hot, but don’t exactly let it set either. It is practice makes perfect unfortunately…
on 22 Apr 2009 at 5:28 pm 9.Cam said …
Hi there
…found this recipe after a search & am excited to try it, along with so many others on your site! Everything looks delish & fun–my kids are going to flip. Quick Q though–how far in advance can I make the layered jello dessert? Want to make it for a bday party but need to make it ahead. Thanks!
on 22 Apr 2009 at 10:54 pm 10.justJENN said …
Personally, I would only make it the day before. I’ve seen problems where people have made it early and the layers start to separate. You don’t want that!
on 01 Jul 2009 at 8:22 am 11.Dave Haubner said …
Great website,you’re a very clever lady. I use the layered jello for making vodka shooters.Substitute 1/4 cup of vodka when mixing jello,and a 1/2 cup for the milk mixture. Usually make creamsicle shooters using orange jello and flavored vodkas. everyone loves them! My hats off to you!! Thanks.
on 02 Jul 2009 at 3:35 pm 12.Cathy said …
This is too cute – I’m going to make it for the 4th of July with red/white/blue/white/red. Can’t wait to see what the kids think!
on 06 Jul 2009 at 7:49 am 13.Nikki said …
I had this yesterday at my sister’s baby shower and had no luck calling her this morning to get it. Thanks to you… I have it! YAAAY! ;D
on 23 Jul 2009 at 6:57 pm 14.janice said …
made it for 4th of july with blueberry, strawberry and the milk layer. looked great and everyone loved it. making it again this weekend for a toga birthday party with a couple different flavors. i expect it will go over just the same. thanks for helping me find this. was given the recepie but it omitted the water in the milk. could not figure out why it never set and why the can did not go the distance!
on 27 Aug 2009 at 3:41 pm 15.Frances said …
I have been using this recipe for years, and I get so many compliments! It’s a time consuming process, but it’s worth it, as it’s always a hit at my children’s parties and potluck events. I refer many of my friends and coworkers to this website who want to know how to make layered Jell-O. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipe!!!
on 29 Sep 2009 at 8:02 am 16.Sara said …
My aunt makes this every year for famliy get togethers, it is a classic, and super delicious!
on 29 Oct 2009 at 9:25 pm 17.Pinata said …
I’ve recently started a blog, the information you provide on this site has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
on 06 Nov 2009 at 12:04 pm 18.Sharon said …
Looks b’ful Jenn,want to take it to potluck this week…have a doubt though…the recipe says ”Combine Orange JELLO, 1 envelope Knox gelatin and 1-1/2 cups hot water. Cool, then pour into a 9×13 pyrex”Similarly for all the other flavors,1 envelope each gelatin is added.
Am wondering,why add the gelatin to the jello,will not the jello set by itself with appropriate amt of boiling water…will the addition of gelatin make it more rubbery?
Kindly revert,would love to make it and I don;t want to bungle up this recipe…thanks.
on 26 Nov 2009 at 11:30 am 19.Marsha said …
Jenn Nomura?
on 24 Dec 2009 at 11:50 am 20.April said …
I tried the recipe. It turned out pretty well at first, but by the time I got to the last layer of milk mixture, it had already solidified in the bowl. Needless to say, it was pretty difficult to spread to all sections of the pan. I ended up scraping most of it off and just put the red layer over the blue layer. You can still see solidified bits of the milk mixture under the red layer, so presentation won’t be as nice I would have liked.
on 09 Mar 2010 at 6:05 pm 21.Ratasha said …
Thank you so much for this recipe! I’m from HI, and had a craving for this jello (it’s the only way I can even eat jello). I haven’t had it in years, so I didn’t think I could even remember what this was called so I randomly googled “layered jello,” and there it was! Thanks again, I’ll definitely be making this for my kids some time soon.
=)
on 09 Mar 2010 at 11:07 pm 22.justJENN said …
@ratasha
I’m with you, I’m not much of a Jello fan except when it’s served like this or when it’s Broken Glass Jello, otherwise, forget it!
on 02 Apr 2010 at 11:47 pm 23.Chris said …
Yummy Jenn! Exactly likes mom’s. I used to call it old school jello recipe cause I didn’t know what it’s name was. So happy to find this. About the issue some replies had with the milk mixture set/solidify before the last red layer put on. I recommend they do the 2nd paragraph of instructions 1st (do the orange jello instruction) then after it has already set in the fridge 30min. as you instructed, then they should do the 1st paragraph of instruction (the milk mix). Basically by switching the order of these 2 instructions it’s 30min. of less time for the milk mix to sit out and start to set. Also many folks who are doing this in cooler/cold air (a/c unit, cold climate) the milk will set quicker as opposed to those living in the islands or warmer locations. As for the melting prob., you mention in the very first (orange) jello mix instruction “cool, then pour”. This step is important to follow. =) Thank you for sharing Jenn, love it!
on 23 Apr 2010 at 9:33 pm 24.caitlin said …
i have the same problem – the jello isn’t set hard enough and when i pour the white, it totally bleeds into the red. i’m gonna let it cool longer so the white doesn’t bleed. keep my fingers across. i believe the knox gelatin helps the jello become wiggly and not fall apart when you cut.
on 28 Apr 2010 at 6:35 am 25.Cooking said …
hiiie
I ended up bow most of it off and righteous put the red place over the amytal sheet. You can solace see solid bits of the river variety low the red stratum, so show won’t be as overnice I would person likeable……….
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on 20 May 2010 at 8:49 am 26.Dara said …
So cute! Tried it out, wow, I didn’t realized it would take so long, but it turned out great. My refrigerator was slightly tilted so I kept turning the pan and it ended up being topsy turvy. Will definitely do again but probably in clear plastic cups
on 15 Jun 2010 at 7:26 am 27.cheydust said …
Thanks so much for posting this recipe! my grandparents lived in Hawaii for 20 years and i remember going to visit as a child and my grandmother making this. I wanted to make it for my kids, but no one in the family could find the recipe so i turned to the internet. I’m sure my children will love it and it will bring back fantastic childhood memories for me!!!! Thanks again!!!!
on 04 Jul 2010 at 11:47 am 28.clarissa said …
Thanks for the great pictures. I do realize that the white mixture should be not hot and a little luke warm. My first white layer was a little pink from the jello below. But otherwise, I can’t wait to cut them up. I also put a little canola oil around the pan to help it come out easier.
on 31 Jul 2010 at 4:35 pm 29.lisa said …
What makes the milk harden?