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When my sister and I were growing up, my mother made this no-bake broken glass Jell-O dessert for us as a special treat for getting good grades, demonstrating good behavior, or just because we asked for it. She would also put it together if we were having friends or family over, because it’s a great make-ahead dessert.
Broken glass Jell-O is also known as broken windows or stained glass Jell-O. The dessert features creamy white gelatin set in a fancy, round mold, which forms the perfect backdrop for colorful, mosaic-like chunks of other gelatin in different colors. The colorful pieces resemble broken stained glass windows, thus the name.
As a kid, this dessert tasted like a dream. It was cold, sweet, and supple. Sometimes, my mom also added sliced fresh, ripe fruit from our backyard into the mix, which made it even more superb. I watched her make it many times, so I was able to replicate it for my family years later. To this day, my sons remember how I made it as a reward for their excellent report cards.
What I love most about this sweet treat is that there’s minimal cooking involved and no baking needed. All you have to do is make the different colored gelatins individually and let them firm up in the refrigerator for about 6 hours or overnight. Then, you prepare a creamy gelatin mixture and fold in the cubed, assorted colored gelatins.
The hardest part is waiting for the gelatin to firm up in the refrigerator—when we were kids, we could hardly wait to flip the dessert out of the mold!
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Key Ingredients for Broken Glass Jell-O
In the Philippines, we used gulaman bars or powder, which is the Filipino version of Jell-O made from seaweed. It uses agar agar as a binding agent instead of gelatin. We used red and green gulaman for the cubed broken glass and white gulaman to solidify the cream around it.
To update the recipe for my American kitchen, I opted to use a combination of assorted colorful gelatin in various flavors. I like a mix of strawberry, cherry, lime, and orange best, and used Royal brand when developing this recipe. To set the cream layer, I used unflavored gelatin.
More No-Bake Desserts To Keep It Cool
Plan ahead, as this recipe needs two periods of chilling time. You can split it up over a few days if you like, making the colored gelatin on the first day, the creamy gelatin and assembly on the second day, and serving the dessert the next day.
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For the colored gelatin
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4 (1.4-ounce) boxes gelatin in assorted flavors and colors (such as Royal brand)
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Boiling and cold water, per gelatin box directions
For the creamy gelatin
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4 (.25-ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin (such as Knox Original Gelatine)
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2 cups boiling water
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1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
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14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
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Make the colored gelatin:
Add each packet of flavored gelatin to a separate medium heatproof bowl. Add boiling water and cold water to each bowl following the package directions and stir well until the mixtures are smooth.
Transfer each mixture to airtight containers that hold at least 2 cups each. Refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
Simple Tip!
Chilling the flavored gelatins in rectangular-shaped containers will make them easier to cut into cubes later, but you can use whatever size and shape of container you have.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
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Cube the colored gelatin:
When the four flavored gelatins are firm, slice them into roughly 1-inch cubes.
Transfer the gelatin cubes to a glass 9×13-inch baking dish (a transparent vessel makes it easy to see the stained glass effect) or a 10-inch bundt pan with fluted sides, making sure to mix up the colors throughout. Chill in the fridge while you make the white gelatin.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
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Prepare the white gelatin:
To make the creamy gelatin, in a clean medium bowl, combine the unflavored gelatin with the boiling water and whisk until smooth. Let the mixture cool for 15 to 20 minutes until just warm, not hot.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
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Whip the cream:
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the whipped cream mixture to the cooled unflavored gelatin and gently fold to combine.
Simple Tip!
Don’t rush this step! If you add the cream to the gelatin while it’s still hot, the mixture will curdle.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
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Assemble the dessert and chill:
Gently pour the creamy gelatin mixture into the flavored gelatin cubes in the prepared dish or pan. Gently fold and stir to make sure the creamy white mixture is evenly distributed and coats the flavored gelatin cubes completely.
Cool the mixture on the counter until it’s room temperature, 15 to 20 minutes. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until fully chilled and firm, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
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Serve:
If made in a glass baking dish, slice the chilled dessert into individual squares for serving.
If made in a bundt pan, place the bottom of the pan in warm water for 3 to 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around the edges of the dessert to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Place a platter on top of the pan, then invert and remove the cake pan. Slice and serve.
Leftovers can be covered and kept refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 461 | Calories |
| 22g | Fat |
| 38g | Carbs |
| 31g | Protein |
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 8 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 461 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 22g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat 14g | 70% |
| 73mg | 24% |
| 156mg | 7% |
| 38g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars 38g | |
| 31g | |
| Vitamin C 2mg | 10% |
| Calcium 238mg | 18% |
| Iron 0mg | 3% |
| Potassium 295mg | 6% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
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