Somehow this recipe has become a Thanksgiving tradition. The task of making it was passed on to me probably around 10 years ago. The first few years I made it, I didn't have trouble with it. The last couple of years, it will not set up correctly! It ends up with a scoopable texture instead of a moldable texture. Unfortunately, I make jello zero other times per year, and so I don't know what to change or how to tweak it. The only thing I don't do is the sour cream layer; everything else I do as written. Any ideas of how to get this recipe to set up better?
by electricladyslippers
11 Comments
There’s a lot of liquid in the ingredients in this recipe, as opposed to measurable liquid, and I’m wondering if the canned pineapple you’re getting – or maybe even the raspberries? are waterier/have less bulk, so you’re getting an unset jello? Perhaps you are getting less pineapple per pineapple.
The issue may be the pineapple. let the jello nearly set completely before stirring in the pineapple — there is some chemical reaction between the jello and the pineapple that causes this issue. technically it should not happen with canned pineapple, but seems like it is any way. also check the size of your jello packets — with shrinkflation, it’s pretty sure you’re not getting the 6 oz any more.
That 6oz Jell-O package is made to set 4 cups of liquid. 32 ounces.
Minus 1/2 cup you dissolve it in would be 3 3/4 cups. Probably more liquid going into this because of the difference in brands and quality of the fruit. Thawed frozen raspberries are basically a liquid.
Add a 3oz box of Jell-O or a Knox packet. Or add the raspberries at the end still frozen.
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If you’re using crushed pineapple you really have to not only drain it but then dry it out on paper towels.
Also this mold is a hell of a lot better with cranberry jello and yes you have to special order it.
I’m also wondering if the jello box is still 6 oz. Cake boxes and pudding boxes have decreased their amounts, so where you’re used to using 1 box, now you have to supplement the amount to account for shrinkflation. It could account for why it used to work perfectly years ago.
We use almost an identical recipe so I’m glad we aren’t the only ones with this tradition instead of cranberries😂.
My recipe calls for draining the pineapple so others might be correct about the pineapple being more juicy.
Also, when I can find frozen raspberries these days they usually come in 12oz rather than 10, so that also might be an issue!
Have you substituted fresh pineapple for canned? Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that prevents jello from setting.
i think shrinkflation is your enemy here. i’m wondering if A. there is more liquid and less pineapple and B. if the jello box is smaller than it used to be
Drain the pineapple really well.
Drain the thawed raspberries and use the juice as part of the water.
Measure the liquid from the crushed pineapple and defrosted raspberries, then discard 1/2 a cup, it might be too much liquid. I suspect the amount of liquid that comes from different brands canned pineapple and defrosted frozen fruit might vary a bit.
Alternately, maybe you could add half a package of unflavored gelatin to the raspberry jello to counteract the liquid.