Cathedral Window Gelatin is a show-stopping dessert masterpiece perfect for the holidays. Soft, creamy and silky with colorful gelatin, it’s as amazing as it looks!
Looking for a spectacular holiday centerpiece that’s both pretty and delicious?
This cathedral window gelatin’s festive colors definitely fit the mood of the season and its creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture is sure to please everyone at the party. Your guests will be lining up for slice after slice!
Broken glass jello is truly an impressive dessert that is as much fun to make as it is to eat. Make it a memorable kitchen project to do with the whole family!
Tips on how to make Cathedral Window Gelatin:
- The brand of gelatin I use comes 3.1 ounces per package and calls for 410 ml of water (14 ounces) but I decreased the water to 12 ounces for the colored gelatin to yield firmer cubes. You can use coconut or fruit juices in place of water to amp up flavors for the colored cubes but I don’t recommend adding food coloring as they might bleed into the white gelatin base. Please do not add fruit juices to the milk gelatin as the acids might curdle the all-purpose cream.
- The gelatin I use is already sweetened. Please check the package you’re using as you may have to add sugar to taste.
- For even distribution of the colored cubes, the cream-gelatin should be slightly thickened before adding the colored gelatin cubes. Please note that when table cream and condensed milk are added, the temperature of the cream-gelatin base will drop and will thicken fast. Work quickly when “dropping” the colored cubes into the cream mixture.
- Allow the gelatin to cool before covering with plastic film and refrigerating as the steam will create water puddles on the jello.
- Don’t forget to lightly grease the inside of the mold before pouring in the gelatin mixture to make it easier to release the set gelatin. You can also use silicone molds if you have any.
- To unmold, run the tip of a pointed knife around the edge of the mold to loosen gelatin. You can apply a hot, moist towel for about 1 minute to the outside of the mold to loosen gelatin and then gently shake mold to release the gelatin.
Guys, 3 days to Christmas! There’s still plenty of time to make this show-stopper cathedral window gelatin and wow the crowd! Please make sure to check out my recommended top ten Filipino Christmas desserts for more scrumptious holiday ideas and stay tuned for a lot more recipes to come.
Thank you for making Kawaling Pinoy your source of everything delicious this holiday season. I appreciate you!
Cathedral Window Gelatin
Ingredients
- 1 package (3.1 ounces) unflavored red color gelatin
- 1 package (3.1 ounces) unflavored green color gelatin
- 1 package (3.1 ounces) unflavored yellow color gelatin
- 6 1/4 cups water
- 2 packages (3.1 ounces each) unflavored clear gelatin
- 12 ounces table cream (all-purpose cream)
- 1/2 cup condensed milk
Instructions
- In a pot, combine the package of red gelatin and 1 1/2 cups water. Whisk together until gelatin is dissolved. Over medium heat, bring to a boil for about 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and pour into a baking dish. Refrigerate to cool and set.
- In a pot, combine the package of green gelatin and 1 1/2 cups water. Whisk together until gelatin is dissolved. Over medium heat, bring to a boil for about 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and pour into a baking dish. Refrigerate to cool and set.
- In a pot, combine the package of yellow gelatin and 1 1/2 cups water. Whisk together until gelatin is dissolved. Over medium heat, bring to a boil for about 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble. Remove from heat and pour into a baking dish. Refrigerate to cool and set.
- When gelatin are set and firm, cut into 1-inch cubes.
- In a pot, combine the 2 packages of clear gelatin and 1 3/4 cups water. Whisk together until gelatin is dissolved. Over medium heat, bring to a boil for about 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble.
- Remove from heat. Add cream and condensed milk and stir well. Pour into a lightly greased mold.
- Randomly drop cubed gelatin into the cream gelatin.
- Allow to cool and cover with plastic film. Refrigerate to completely cool and set. When firm, invert onto a plate to serve.
Video
Nutrition
Hi,
Are you sure you used 6.2 oz of unflavored clear gelatin? I followed your recipe & mine came out like a rock! ( the white part )… Ended up throwing it because it’s too hard…
Hello, Gina,
I am sorry to hear the recipe didn’t work well for you. I understand the frustration of wasting time and ingredients.
Yes, it is 2 packages of gelatin 3.1 ounces each. May I ask the brand you used? I am thinking maybe you used KNOX? This brand is very strong and requires different liquid measurements. As I mentioned in the post, I used a Filipino brand called Pamana and the box instructions states 14 ounces (410 ml or 1 3/4 cup of liquid/water) I used 2 packs of clear gelatin because we’re adding all-purpose cream and condensed milk.
Where can I buy colored gelatin?Is it in powder form?ThanksGlee
I bought mine at Seafood City in Southern California but I am sure major supermarkets have them as well. Just read the package directions and adjust accordingly as every brand maybe different in the amount of liquid you need to add.
Hi
Can whipping cream use instead of nestle cream?
Yes, heavy cream should be ok 🙂
Hi, may i ask what do you use for greasing the molder? Thanks
I used non-stick cooking spray. 🙂
Hi! This looks amazing good but I’m not sure what you are calling coconut or fruit juices? Do you mean coconut milk or coconut cream? If so, sweeten or unsweetened coconut milk or coconut cream? Also I am in the US but I’m not sure about the unsweetened colored gelatin you are talking about but I have always used Jell-O and I have never looked at anything else before.
Looking at some of your gelled recipes I was if wondering about the Pandan. Where can I get that ingredient and what forms of comes in?
Thanks!!!😀
Coconut or fruit juices are just optional if you want to add a bit of flavor but regular water should be fine. I am also in the U.S. but I mostly buy a Filipino brand of gelatin so I am not sure how to work this recipe using Jello brand.
For the Pandan gelatin, I use pandan extract. It’s a green liquid and it’s mostly available in Asian supermarkets.
i followed the instructions of how to cook the gelatin in its cover. and it turned out that my window cathedral is taste less. what should I do?
I am sorry but I don’t know what you mean by cooking the gelatin in its cover?
What is Nestle cream? Is this canned…in a carton, found in the refrigerator section of a grocery store…is it heavy whip cream….is it half and half?
When you refer to condensed milk…is it the canned sweeten condense milk?
Thanks!
Nestle’s cream is called table cream here in the U.S., it comes in a can. And yes, sweetened condensed milk in can. 🙂
Making this right now! Looks yummy, thanks for your guide!
You’re welcome. Enjoy!
how come the colored gelatin floated when i did this? the base where all plain white when it thickend after 3hrs.
Hello Samantha,
I included a few tips on the post itself to make this gelatin dessert successfully. For the colored gelatin to distribute evenly, the white base should be slightly thickened.
Hello Lalaine!
Can I use flavored gelatin instead when making the Cathedral window Gelatin?
Thanks!
Beth
Hello Beth
Yes, you can use flavored gelatin for the colored part of the gelatin, if you want. I like, though, to use unflavored for the “base” as I add milk to it.
Do you add sugar to the gelatin mix? The whole thing came out flavorless, unless I missed the part where you’re supposed to sweeten the unflavored gelatin.
i try to cook this dessert… i think it is good for new year
I hope you enjoyed it 🙂
Hi! Is there a substitute for table cream? I’m not familiar with it. I want to try this dessert for my lola’s upcoming birthday 🙂
Hello Abby
Table cream is Nestle’s cream, the one we use for fruit salad 🙂
Oh thanks! 🙂
You’re welcome 🙂
Nestle cream
Love to make dessert and i like very much to follow the recipe of kawaling pinoy
Thanks, Edna. Please give this a try. It’s as much fun to make as it is to eat 🙂
I heard about this dessert when I was in high school but never really seen or tried it, so this Christmas I am going to make this just because it’s something new I want to try during Noche Buena. Sure looks colorful and inviting! By the way, I’m just curious how it got its name. Do you have any idea?
Hi Mia
From what I read online, I think it’s got its name from its similarity in appearance to cathedrals’ glass windows. Give it a try, very easy to make and your kids will surely love it 🙂