Food That Jiggles

 

I'm not going to lie, I'm not a huge fan of gelatin when it is plain and on its own. Gelatin can be used in some pretty fun and amazing ways in recipes, but made just according to the package directions...it's not really my favorite thing. However, when it is condensed in jiggler form, I can make an exception.

 

Fruit Jellies

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups fruit juice (any flavor) or water
4 packets powdered gelatin (1 ounce total)
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups fruit preserves or jam

Directions:

Place 2/3 cup juice in a small bowl or measuring cup and sprinkle with gelatin. Let sit 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine remaining 2/3 cup juice and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 5 minutes. Add preserves and whick to combine. Return to a boil and cook until thick and syrupy, 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture and whisk until gelatin dissolves. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into an 8-inch square baking dish. Refrigerate until set, 3 hours (or up to 2 weeks).

Place remaining 1 cup sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Cut fruit jelly into 1-inch squares. Toss in sugar to coat just before serving.

Source: Martha Stewart. You can find it here.

Notes: These were really good. If you don't plan to eat them all at once (for instance, you aren't serving them at a large gathering, you are just planning to snack on them at home), don't coat the whole batch in sugar all at once. Once they sit for awhile, they will absorb the sugar and become sticky. If you are having just a few here and there, toss them in sugar right before eating.

I made this batch with white grape juice.

 

Fruit Juice Knox Blox

Ingredients:

4 pounches Knox Unflavored Gelatin
1 cup cold fruit juice
3 cups fruit juice, heated to boiling
2 tbsp. sugar or honey, if desired

Directions:

Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 1 cup cold fruit juice in large bowl; let stand 1 minute. Add 3 cups fruit juice that has been heated to boiling.Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved, about 5 minutes. Sweeten to taste with sugar or honey, if desired (though not necessary).

Pour into a 13x9-inch glass pan. Chill until firm, about 3 hours.

Cut into 1-inch squares to serve.

Source: I got this recipe off the back of a box of Knox gelatin. You can also find it online here. You can also find it here.

Notes: I really love these. I love using fruit juice and unflavored gelatin as opposed to a flavored gelatin. I used apple juice for this batch. I love the taste, texture, and look of these. These seriously look so cool!

 

 

Jell-O Jigglers

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups boiling water (Do not add cold water)

2 pkgs. (8-serving size each) Jell-O Gelatin, any flavor

Directions:

Stir boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 3 minutes until completely dissolved. Pour into 13x9-inch pan.

Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm.

Dip bottom of pan in warm water 15 seconds. Cut into 1-inch squares, or cut into decorative shapes using cookie cutters. Be careful to cut all the way through the gelatin to bottom of pan. Lift Jigglers from pan with a metal spatula. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Source: Kraft Recipe. You can find it here.

Notes: Honestly, this is the only way I ever make Jell-O for my kids and if they have Jell-O served to them in any other way, they kind of look at you like, "Wait, I can't pick this up with my hands?"

I used strawberry Jell-O for this batch.