Broken Glass Juice Gelatin
Broken Glass Juice Gelatin: colorful, juicy and creamy, fun, eye-catching, light dessert; perfect for holidays or any occasion throughout the year. This dessert will be a hit around big holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s made out of your favorite juices rather than store-bought Jell-O and it’s calling for all the gelatin you have in your house!
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This recipe makes a full 5 qt baking dish that would serve up to 20 people, which is great for those big gatherings around the holidays. Plus, who doesn’t love jello, right? It surely would substitute a piece of cake or any fruit.
First time I saw such masterpiece was when one of my sisters brought it to a family gathering one Christmas. It looked so complicated, but believe me it’s not!
It takes a bit of time to set, but this dessert is so easy to make, you can’t go wrong with it. I’m using 4 different juice colors in this recipe to create that contrast in the dish.
Now, you can use the jell-o for this as well, but I don’t ever buy the jello. The food coloring used in each makes me dizzy. I know it’s not completely possible to eliminate all the artificial coloring from our lives, but when it comes to homemade meals, I try to be as natural and organic as I can be.
I add sugar and a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice to each juice flavor. The sugar gives a bit more sweetness to the gelatin and the lemon juice keeps the juice colors bright, so that you can really see the contrasting colors in this dessert.
The amount of gelatin in this recipe might seem a lot, but I tried using 2 pockets per juice flavor and the jello was more on the soft side – hard to work with.
Use Your Favorite Juices for Different Gelatin Colors
There are so many different flavors and colors you can use in this recipe, but try to stay away from kiwi, pineapple and mango. I’ve never experienced, but from my knowledge, these juices or fruits will not make the gelatin set. When you choose the juices for this dessert, think of different colors: grape, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, orange, apple, fruit punch, etc. I can go on 🙂
You will also need 4- 9×13” baking dishes and 1-5 qt (11×17″) baking dish for final product. (If you don’t have these dishes, I’d recommend you get them. They work for everything. I bake meals in them or I use them for jello, for saving desserts in the fridge; you name it. These also come in different sizes, which is a great advantage). If you decide to make a smaller portion of this recipe, make sure that no matter what size of baking dish you use that all are the same size, otherwise you will end up with unequal juice cubes and your dessert won’t look as gorgeous! You want the juice squares to be approximately the same. Your eye is your ruler!
Broken Glass Juice Gelatin Ingredients:
Scroll down for a printable recipe.
- Unflavored gelatine
- Apple juice
- Grape juice
- Strawberry/raspberry juice
- Orange juice (pulp free)
- Cold water
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Granulated sugar
- Cooking spray
Pan spray 4-9×13″ baking dishes and wipe around with a paper towel. Set aside.
How to Make Broken Glass Jello Dessert:
To Make Apple Flavor:
1. Place 1 cup cold apple juice into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin; gently whisk and set aside for it to bloom. Meanwhile, place 3 cups of apple juice into a small saucepan. Add 2 tbsps sugar and 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the boiled juice over bloomed gelatin and whisk until gelatin fully dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temp before you pour into a 9×13” baking dish.
To Make Grape Layer:
2. Repeat Step 1 for grape juice, strawberry/raspberry juice and orange juice.
Grape juice: 4 cups grape juice, 2 tbsps sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
To Make Strawberry/Raspberry Layer:
Strawberry/raspberry juice: 4 cups strawberry/raspberry juice, 2 tbsps sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
To Make Orange Layer:
Orange juice: 4 cups orange juice, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice.
Pour each juice into a separate 9×13″ baking dish wiped with cooking spray. Refrigerate up to 4 hours until gelatin fully sets.
3. Spray a 5 qt baking dish and wipe around with paper towel; set aside. Take out all 4 flavors of set juice gelatin. Using a thin sharp knife, cut each into squares about 1/2″ (depends how deep the gelatin is in your dish, you want all squares approximate size on all edges; if your dish is 3/4″ deep, cut the squares into 3/4″ wide, etc.).
Use a thin metal spatula to grab each flavor and wear a glove (safe for food) to help drop the squares one by one into a 5 qt dish. (I do 2-3 full spatulas of apple juice, 2-3 full spatulas grape juice, and continue mixing the colors from all dishes until all dishes are empty, leaving the sides – round-ish squares out).
You can reward yourself and eat the remaining juice gelatin once you finish making this dessert 🙂 Refrigerate while you work on the creamy part of the dessert.
How to Make White Gelatin:
4. In a medium bowl, sprinkle 4 unflavored gelatin envelopes over 1/2 cup cold water. Set aside to bloom. Do not whisk. Whisking will create hundreds of little foamy bubbles. Meanwhile, bring 1 1/2 cups cold water and 2 tbsps sugar to a boil over medium heat. Pour the hot water into the bowl with bloomed gelatin and gently whisk. Once gelatin fully dissolves, add 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool until slightly warm.
It will cool fast so keep an eye on it. If you wait until completely cooled, the gelatin will start setting and you will have white pudding. If that happens, do not use it. (refrigerate and eat it once set). Make it again or you will mess up your broken glass dessert. Transfer the cooled sweetened condensed milk gelatin into a measuring cup and slowly pour over the cubed juices.
*If you have bubbles in your condensed milk gelatin, use a small sieve to pour the gelatin through and over the squares; it will save the foamy stuff. Use back of a disposable spoon to pop any bubbles created from the condensed milk gelatin. Do it quickly as the gelatin sets fast – warm on cold technique. Refrigerate up to 4 hours to completely set.
Cut into squares and serve.
The juice gelatin stays fresh up to 4 days in a fridge.
More Easy Desserts to Explore:
Broken Glass Juice Gelatin
Ingredients
- 16 envelopes unflavored gelatin (0.25 oz each)
- 4 cups apple juice
- 4 cups grape juice
- 4 cups strawberry/raspberry juice
- 4 cups orange juice (pulp-free)
- 2 1/2 cups cold water
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 medium lemons)
- 10 tablespoons granulated sugar (5 oz)
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Pan spray 4-9×13″ baking dishes and wipe around with a paper towel. Set aside. Place 1 cup cold apple juice into a medium bowl. Sprinkle with 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin; gently whisk and set aside for it to bloom. Meanwhile, place 3 cups of apple juice into a small saucepan. Add 2 tbsps sugar and 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the boiled juice over bloomed gelatin and whisk until gelatin fully dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temp before you pour into a 9×13” baking dish.
- Repeat Step 1 for grape juice, strawberry/raspberry juice and orange juice. Grape juice: 4 cups grape juice, 2 tbsps sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Strawberry/raspberry juice: 4 cups strawberry/raspberry juice, 2 tbsps sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Orange juice: 4 cups orange juice, 2 tbsps sugar and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Pour each juice into a separate 9×13″ baking dish wiped with cooking spray. Refrigerate up to 4 hours until gelatin fully sets.
- Spray a 5 qt baking dish and wipe around with paper towel; set aside. Take out all 4 flavors of set juice gelatin. Using a thin sharp knife, cut each into squares about 1/2" (depends how deep the gelatin is in your dish, you want all squares approximate size on all edges; if your dish is 3/4" deep, cut the squares into 3/4" wide, etc.). Use a thin metal spatula to grab each flavor and wear a glove (safe for food) to help drop the squares one by one into a 5 qt dish. (I do 2-3 full spatulas of apple juice, 2-3 full spatulas grape juice, and continue mixing the colors from all dishes until all dishes are empty, leaving the sides – round-ish squares out). You can reward yourself and eat the remaining juice gelatin once you finish making this dessert 🙂 Refrigerate while you work on the creamy part of the dessert.
- In a medium bowl, sprinkle 4 unflavored gelatin envelopes over 1/2 cup cold water. Set aside to bloom. Do not whisk. Whisking will create hundreds of little foamy bubbles. Meanwhile, bring 1 1/2 cups cold water and 2 tbsps sugar to a boil over medium heat. Pour the hot water into the bowl with bloomed gelatin and gently whisk. Once gelatin fully dissolves, add 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk and whisk to combine. Set aside to cool until slightly warm. It will cool fast so keep an eye on it. If you wait until completely cooled, the gelatin will start setting and you will have white pudding. If that happens, do not use it. (refrigerate and eat it once set and make it again). Transfer the cooled sweetened condensed milk gelatin into a measuring cup and slowly pour over the cubed juices. *If you have bubbles in your condensed milk gelatin, use a small sieve to pour the gelatin through and over the squares; it will save the foamy stuff. Use back of a disposable spoon to pop any bubbles created from the condensed milk gelatin. Do it quickly as the gelatin sets fast – warm on cold technique. Refrigerate up to 4 hours to completely set. Cut into squares and serve. (The juice gelatin stays fresh up to 4 days in a fridge).
- Refrigerate up to 4 hours to completely set. Cut into squares and serve. The juice gelatin stays fresh up to 4 days in a fridge.
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Beth says:
This is such a fun dessert to serve. easy, low cost and delicious. My grandkids loved it the first time so I started making it regularly. Our favorite jello recipe, thanks to you!
Mery says:
Love it! Easy to make! Just made it for Thanksgiving dinner, and definitely will make it again!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
That’s awesome, Mery! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Lauren Kelly says:
One gorgeous delicious addictive masterpiece! I made it into serving cups for family get-together and it looked so elegant and soo soo good. Everyone was raving about these and asked for the recipe.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you for that great review, Lauren! I’m happy to hear family enjoyed this recipe!
Deebra says:
This jello turned out so great! I followed the recipe exactly and the flavor combo is amazing. Thank you for sharing!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
You’re very welcome, Deebra! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Leyla says:
My family loves this healthier version of jello. It looks so elegant and gorgeous and so easy to make. I switch the flavors of juices almost every time and it turns out so tasty each time. This jello dessert is perfect for upcoming holidays. Thank you for sharing it with us!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thank you, Leyla for beautiful review! I’m so happy to hear your family enjoys this dessert 🙂
Tita says:
Hi Olga ,how many g of gelatin is in one envelope?Thank you.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Hi Tita, about 7 grams in one (0.25 oz). I use the common Knox brand.
Lynette says:
The moment I saw your recipe I threw out artificial jello and my kids’ new favorite is this natural version. So happy I found your blog.
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Lynette! Natural is always the best way to go.
Leslie says:
I also made this recipe. This is the best natural jello I’ve ever tasted. I will be making it again for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Love your recipes!
Olga in the Kitchen says:
Thanks Leslie! It surely is the best 🙂