Tag Archives: tips

March 22, 2012 · 11:34 am

How to Unmold Jell-O

I have been posting so many great recipes that you probably don’t know where to start. I know you want to make them all! But how on earth are you supposed to actually make any of these recipes if you don’t know how to unmold them? Well, Ms. L’Orange is here to teach you a thing or two.

The pages above come straight from the Joys of Jell-O. They are a fab pictorial guide to the process of unmolding Jell-O molds. (Click on the photos above for a clearer view.) I don’t do it exactly the way they do, so pay close attention.

Step 1: Get a big cooking pot or bowl and fill it up with warm water. NOT hot water. If your water is too hot, the gelatin will melt and you’ll have a big runny puddle.

Step 2: Test the edges of the jello by pulling an edge away from the mold with your finger. Does it readily pull away? Great, you’re ready for Step 3. Does it stick to the mold like Selleck’s ‘stache sticks to his upper lip? Then run a butter knife around the edge to loosen that up.

Step 3: Dip the mold in the warm water up to the rim, taking care not to get water on your jello. Hold it there for 15-20 seconds. Put your mold back on the counter.

Step 4: Place your serving plate upside-down on the mold and flip the whole thing over. It should fall right out and make a squelching sound. If it doesn’t, proceed to Step 5.

Step 5: Repeat Step 3. Alternatively, plug in your hair dryer and evenly heat up the outside of the mold until the jello shakes loose. Beware of this method though, as too much heat will result in aforementioned puddle.

Step 6: Stand back and admire your handiwork.

Note: If you are removing gelatin from a can (like in the Quick Tomato Mold), puncture the bottom of the can before dipping it in the water to release the pressure.

Happy wobbling!

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November 22, 2011 · 2:39 pm

Cranberry Surprise

Everyone loves a good surprise. Who doesn’t love the excitement of a surprise party? The lights dim and the anticipation brightens. Then when the birthday man or woman arrives, everyone shouts “Surprise!” and everyone is gay for the rest of the party. Posh ladies love to be surprised with a diamond or a pearl, and we middle-class ladies can make the best of a nice hat. I hear that bachelor parties often have ladies surprise the groom by bursting out of giant cakes. It’s the thing to do these days!

Surprises in food, especially gelatin, are the best kind of surprises. Thanksgiving is in only two days, which means we ladies don’t have much time to get ourselves organized! At this point, you probably already have your menu all planned out and you know exactly how many guests you will be serving. But if you were longing for that one extra side dish, the one that everyone will fawn over until Christmas, then this is the one.

Cranberry Surprise is so easy to make! Your guests will think you spent all day working on it, but you’ll know it only took you a few minutes. This dish is a sliceable gel, which means it should be used as a side dish rather than a sauce (see last week’s post Cranberry Sauce for a relish-type gelatin). Cranberry Surprise is a grown-up way to make gelatin, and is perfect for the classy Thanksgiving table. The surprise inside the gel is the orange pulp and canned whole cranberry sauce, which retain a nice chewy texture inside the firm gelatin. Intended for molding inside the can, the recipe makes a cylindrical shape for a presentation your guests will surely notice. Surprise your guests this Thanksgiving by making Cranberry Surprise, and they’ll always remember what a talented cook you are!

Note on using this recipe:

When unmolding from a can, first puncture the bottom of the can with a pair of scissors or screwdriver. Be careful when doing this! The puncture releases the pressure inside the can and allows the gelatin to slip out more easily. After puncturing the bottom, dip the can in warm water for about 10 to 20 seconds or until it loosens from the sides. Overturn on a serving dish and garnish with orange peel.

Cranberry Surprise

From Joys of Jell-O

“Canned cranberry sauce goes from the can into a quick gelatin mold.”

1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Orange, Orange-Pineapple, or Mixed Fruit Gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1 orange
1 can (7 oz.) whole cranberry sauce

Dissolve Jell-O Gelatin in boiling water. Remove seeds from orange and put through food chopper. Fold cranberry sauce and orange into gelatin, saving can to use as mold. Pour into the can and several individual molds or a serving dish. Chill until firm. Unmold. Makes about 2 1/2 cups, or 4 side salads or 6 to 8 relish servings.

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November 10, 2011 · 12:00 pm

Tangy Cider Mold

We’re finally having a proper autumn here in the City. The trees are flush with color and the air is crisp as a butter cookie. This time of year, after the debris from Halloween is swept up and before winter arrives, I start feeling wistful. Maybe it’s the transition from a green landscape to a brown one. Maybe it’s the winding down of the outdoor season. But you know what I think it is? I think it’s that everything is slowly going dormant for winter, which means winter is too close for comfort.

One can’t feel wistful for long, however, when her favorite fruit is in season! Apples are overflowing in the fruit stands and cider is showing up in the markets. The Big Apple really does become one big apple in the fall. Thanksgiving is only two weeks away, and there will be apple-walnut stuffing and apple pie with cheese, both of which you can find prepared at delis and bakeries all over the city, so you don’t have to do all that work yourself. Because it requires minimal effort, this “Tangy Cider Mold” recipe would make a great Thanksgiving dessert or salad! The recipe is mainly gelatin, apple cider, and apples, so you get a taste of autumn in every bite. This treat is both sweet and tart, and the crisp raw apples make it light and refreshing. It is perfect if you don’t want a heavy slice of pie after all that turkey. I used individual molds for a lovely presentation, but you can use a larger mold if you like. If you don’t have a mold, you can let it set in a mixing bowl and scoop it out when ready to eat. For a fancier look, pour it into wine glasses or champagne flutes and serve when set.

A note on using the recipe:

The recipe says to “chill until very thick” before folding in the apples. This is so that the apples do not simply sink to the bottom, as they would if you added them while the gelatin was still hot. Chilling the gelatin until “very thick” takes about and hour and half, or until a “spoon drawn through gelatin leaves a definite impression,” according to Joys of Jell-O. “Chill until firm” can take anywhere between 3 and 5 hours, depending on the size of the your mold. I usually go with overnight, just to be safe.

 

Tangy Cider Mold

From Joys of Jell-O

“As refreshing as a long, cool drink of cider on a warm autumn day.”

1 package (3 oz.) Jell-O Lemon Gelatin
1 cup boiling sweet cider
1 cup cold sweet cider
1 1/2 cups unpeeled red apples, cut in match-stick pieces

Dissolve Jell-O Gelatin in boiling cider. Add cold cider. Chill until very thick. Then fold in apples. Spoon into serving dishes or individual molds. Chill until firm. Makes about 3 cups, or 6 servings.

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