Wiggly Jiggly Jelly Pudding

Hosting a party calls for careful planning, and at the heart of it all is the food. Within that, the dessert holds a special place—it’s the sweet finale that completes the celebration.

Not long ago, I prepared this dessert for a party, and it was an instant success—thanks largely to its striking presentation. Colorful, abstract, and artistic, it captured attention before the very first bite. It may appear as though hours of effort went into creating this, yet in reality, it’s a wonderfully simple recipe. 

If you enjoy jelly, this is certainly one to try. Jelly mixes are widely available in an array of flavors, made with powdered gelatin and sweeteners. Interestingly, gelatin itself has a long history—it rose to popularity during the Victorian era, when it was sold in sheets and required careful purification, a process that was both time-consuming and laborious. For that reason, gelatin desserts were once considered a luxury, reserved for royalty and the well-to-do. 

Gelatin is made from animal collagen. For those following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, you can still make these delicious desserts. A common substitute for gelatin is Agar-Agar, also known as China Grass. It is flavourless and has a firmer, less jiggly texture than gelatin.
Agar-Agar needs to be heated to dissolve properly. The powdered form of agar is easiest to measure and use; bars and flakes should be dissolved in water first or can be broken down into a powder using a coffee or spice grinder. It sets in about an hour at room temperature.
1 teaspoon gelatin = 1 teaspoon agar powder (this will set 1 cup of liquid)

So, here's the recipe

Ingredients:

• 4 - 6 3oz (approx. 85gms) boxes of Jelly Mix in various colours (I used raspberry, orange, blueberry and green apple flavour)
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk (approx. 400gms)
• 5 tsp unflavoured gelatin powder 
• Boiling water

Method:
Follow instructions on back of Jelly packages and make your Jelly. 
Let sit for several hours in the fridge.

Once the Jellies has set, cut each Jelly into cubes.

Lightly oil a baking dish. Place cubes into the dish.

Repeat with all colours and mix it up.

In a separate bowl, sprinkle gelatin into 1/2 a cup of cold water. Let it sit for a minute or two. 

Add 1 1/2 cup boiling water and dissolve. Add the can of condensed milk. Stir and cool. 


Note: Make sure you take the time to completely cool this mixture! Pouring hot gelatin over the colored cubes will bleed the colors and make your final product look like a mushy brown mess.

Once it has cooled, pour the mixture over your Jelly cubes. Refrigerate overnight or till it is set. After it is set, use a very sharp knife dipped in hot water to slice pudding into squares.

So, whether it’s a birthday bash, a cheerful after-class delight, or a potluck crowd-pleaser, these colourful cubes of wiggly, jiggly jelly are guaranteed to steal the show. Simple, playful, and irresistibly nostalgic—it’s a recipe worth bringing back. Enjoy!!!!