What Is Jello?
Jello is basically a wobbly sweet dish that is made from gelatin, added fruit flavors, and sweeteners. You can also use real fruit juices, instead of artificial flavors to make jello at home. Jello is widely available in a variety of flavors.
Not only jello can be had alone, but you can also pair them with other desserts, fruits, whipped cream, ice creams, and more. The methods for enjoying jello are endless. You must be having your way of enjoying jello, right?
The jello is so delicious that be it kids or adults, no one can resist a bowl of jello. Whether the jello is store-bought or homemade, it serves as an easy and quick dessert option. Also, it is simple to make jello at home and does not take much time.
How Can You Store Jello?
You know how quickly you can make jello at home, right? But the jello also tends to spoil soon. You cannot keep jello for longer at room temperature. It turns rancid due to the sugar and water content and thus becomes inedible.
So, can you store jello? Yes, you can store jello. So, the next time you have made extra jello at home, or bought more than the required quantities from the store, the best way to preserve them is to store them. But how can you store jello? Can you freeze jello?
Yes, you can freeze jello for later use. It is completely safe to freeze jello, only that you need to ensure proper freezing steps to store jello for longer, otherwise, you might end up ruining the sweet dish. Read on to know more about freezing jello!
How To Freeze Jello?
Freezing is a great food preservation technique, and freezing jello is a nice idea to keep for longer because they neither stay well in the refrigerator nor at room temperature for long periods. Note that freezing jello means you will not be getting the same consistency after defrosting them.
Check out the 3 easy steps below for freezing jello effortlessly at home.
- Let your jello set and solidify at room temperature, and transfer them into properly sealed airtight containers. If your jello is store-bought, remove them from its original packaging and transfer it into the container.
- Seal the containers tightly and label them with the date and name. This will let you know how long the jello has been in the freezer. You can also cover the jello in plastic wrap to prevent moisture from entering the inside.
- Carefully stack the jello containers in the freezer. Make sure you do it softly and do not end up crumbling the jello in the process. Also, make sure the surface for storing the jello is flat and not slanted, otherwise, it will create a mess. And your jello is ready to freeze.
Tips For Freezing Jello!
Now that you know the steps for freezing jello easily at home, check out the below-mentioned tips for freezing jello in the freezer to achieve the best results.
- Before storing your jello in the freezer, allow the jello to set and solidify appropriately. The jello needs to be set at normal room temperature and not in the freezer. If it is store-bought, you need not worry about setting the jello.
- Jello can be made in a lot of different fruit flavors. The various types of fruit juices may stop the pectin from holding the jelly together. Therefore, it is important that you consider the fruit-juice content in the jello.
- It is great to freeze jello as cubes in ice trays. This will not only be beneficial to store the jello, but this will also make defrosting simpler. Also, jello frozen as cubes will be perfect for serving with desserts or other recipes.
- Freeze jello in serving-sized portions if you have made a lot of them. Freezing in portions will avoid wastage and keep the flavor intact for longer as you are storing smaller quantities of jello in the freezer.
- When you are freezing jello that has layers, remember to keep the container flat at all steps of freezing. Because if it is slanted, the jello will mix and create a lopsided mess. To avoid this from happening, freeze your jello carefully.
Can You Store Jello Cups In The Freezer?
Yes, you can freeze jello cups, but only if you remove them from the cups before freezing. You cannot and you should not freeze jello in their original cups, because the cups are not suitable for freezing and will not react to freezing temperatures. This will only ruin the jello.
Therefore, freezing jello cups is possible without the cups. You can always transfer them into freezer bags or containers and store them in the freezer. Food experts say that frozen jello ought to show texture alterations, so it is better to consume them as soon as possible.
However, note that jello cups with real fruit pieces have a shorter shelf life in the freezer because the fruits tend to spoil soon. The same is the case for opened jello cups. Therefore, keep in mind what jello cup you are freezing.
How Long Can You Store Jello In The Freezer?
You can freeze jello for a maximum of 6 months. While it is technically possible to store the jello for more than 6 months but we wouldn’t recommend it. This is because the longer you keep jello in the freezer, they will start releasing water.
The release of water will eventually lead the jello to lose its flavor and the wobbly consistency, thus making it unsuitable for consumption. You cannot enjoy having something that has lost all its deliciousness. So, do not keep the jello in the freezer for more than 6 months.
How Can You Thaw Frozen Jello?
Thawing jello is very straightforward. All you have to do is remove the frozen jello from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator overnight for defrosting. This will provide the jello with enough time to thaw without any texture or flavor alterations.
However, if you run short of time, you can defrost the frozen jello in a bowl of warm water, but that will also mean you will have to consume the jello as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you have the desired time, it is best to defrost jello in the refrigerator.
Does Frozen Jello Taste Good?
Frozen jello undergoes texture alterations which in turn affects the consistency of the dessert. So, you will definitely notice a minimal flavor change as compared to freshly prepared jello. But it still tastes good.
You know that the jello does not harden upon freezing, so you will notice a slight flavor change. To keep the flavor intact, it is crucial that you follow proper freezing guidelines while preserving jello. Also, if you pair your jello with other desserts, you will rarely notice the flavor change.
How To Make Jello At Home?
Now that you have all the answers for freezing jello at home, check out the step-by-step approach for making 3-ingredient jello at home. It is easy to make jello at home. Just follow the steps carefully.
Ingredients for making jello:
- Any of your desired fruit juice.
- Unflavored gelatin.
- Honey or any other sweetener.
Recipe for making jello:
- Take a large bowl and pour 2 cups of the fruit juice into it. Add about 2 tablespoons of the gelatin powder and whisk gently.
- Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes until it turns thick. This is done to ensure that the gelatin sets properly.
- Take a saucepan and pour 2-3 cups of fruit juice into it. Heat the juice on medium-low flame until it almost starts boiling.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the honey to the heated fruit juice. Mix this mixture with the previously prepared mixture until they dissolve completely.
- Pour the jello mixture into a baking dish or glass container and lay it flat. You can also put some sliced fruit on top. Let it set for at least 2 hours and your jello is ready to eat.
Summing it up, that was all about freezing jello at home. Now you know all the pros and cons of storing jello for later use. However, one thing that you need to keep in mind is to handle the jello carefully, otherwise, it will create a mess.