Gelatin + milk = :D

I got this idea from a family gathering we had one weekend.  The kids were served gelatin on kid-friendly portions and they looked so happy being served this colourful dessert that I wished we also had some.  Good thing they gave the grown-ups some too!  And on grown-up portions!  I rather like gelatin.  Well, who doesn't?


I had downed a couple of spoonfuls when they asked if I wanted some milk to go with it.  I guess the puzzled look on my face gave them the clue that they had to explain a bit further.  "It tastes so much better with milk on it," they said.  "Here, try it."  And they poured some milk from a can on my gelatin.

They were right.  It was so much better than having plain gelatin!  And I guess it does make sense, because there are recipes where milk is mixed with gelatin to form a light and creamy base.

To make this really easy dessert, simply cook the gelatin as per instructions in the box, pouring this into containers which you intend to serve it with.  Then, before serving, simply pour some evaporated milk on it.  Voila.  Fun dessert.  Evaporated milk is better - as explained to me - because of the creamier taste than fresh milk.

To make it even more fun, use transparent containers.  Then get gelatin of various colours and try to layer these colours.  When one colour has set, cook another colour then let it cool a bit in the room (about 15 minutes should do it) before pouring it on top of the previous one.  You need to cool it off before pouring, or it will melt the previous one and they will merge.  Not fun.  Greggs' is more adaptable to this than Alsa.  Alsa tends to solidify more readily even while cooling down on your tabletop so it will be difficult to pour this on top of the other gelatin without botching it up.

Um, also, try doing it with contrasting colours.  I tried layering with orange and yellow (lemon flavour) but the hues are too similar with each other that the difference can only be vaguely seen.

Thanks Jonjon and Jenny for this idea!