Stained Glass Jello — The Dessert That Feeds a Crowd After a Full Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving. Diego came home Wednesday and stayed through Sunday. Doug came up. Marian came with him. The first time meeting her in person. She is a kind woman, eighty-one, a retired schoolteacher from Pueblo who lost her husband in 2018 and has been at the facility for two years. Lisa and Marian got along immediately. Doug was visibly relieved.

I made the turkey. Mamá's cornbread stuffing. The whole production. Twelve at the table. The gratitude round. Diego said, "I am grateful for my family. For my coaches. For my CSU teammates. For my Tía Marisol and Alex. For my Tío Ruben." We had a moment of silence. The food was eaten. The leftovers were sent home with Doug and Marian for their Friday dinner. The road bends. Feed your people. The game is won at the table.

After a Thanksgiving like that one — twelve at the table, leftovers packed up for Doug and Marian, the whole house still warm from the oven — I wanted something for dessert that matched the occasion without adding to the chaos. This Stained Glass Jello is exactly that: you make it the day before, it comes out of the pan looking like something special, and it feeds a crowd without a single complaint. Mamá would have approved.

Stained Glass Jello

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours (includes setting time) | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 box (3 oz) strawberry gelatin
• 1 box (3 oz) lime gelatin
• 1 box (3 oz) orange gelatin
• 6 cups boiling water, divided (2 cups per colored gelatin)
• 3 cups cold water, divided (1 cup per colored gelatin)
• 2 envelopes (1/4 oz each) unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup boiling water (for cream base)
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup cold water (for blooming unflavored gelatin)

Instructions

1. Set the colored gelatins. Working one color at a time, dissolve each flavored gelatin packet in 2 cups boiling water, stirring for 2 minutes until fully dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water. Pour each color into a separate shallow 8x8 dish or loaf pan. Refrigerate until completely firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
2. Cut into cubes. Once each slab is fully set, use a knife to cut into 1/2-inch cubes directly in the pan. Gently scoop all the cubes into a large 9x13 baking dish, mixing the colors together evenly.
3. Bloom the unflavored gelatin. Pour 1/2 cup cold water into a medium bowl and sprinkle both envelopes of unflavored gelatin over the surface. Let sit for 5 minutes to bloom.
4. Make the cream base. Add 1 cup boiling water to the bloomed gelatin and whisk until fully dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk until smooth and combined.
5. Combine. Pour the cream mixture evenly over the colored gelatin cubes. Use a spoon to gently press any cubes sitting above the liquid back down so everything is coated. Do not stir vigorously or the cubes will break apart.
6. Chill until set. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, or until the cream layer is completely firm. Cover once set if storing overnight.
7. Serve. Cut into squares and lift out with a spatula. Serve chilled. Optionally top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 155 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 85mg