Make any holiday or gatherings vibrant and fun with this perfect-for-all Cathedral Window dessert! An easy, budget-friendly dessert you can make ahead of time.
What is Cathedral Window Dessert?
Also known as Stained Glass or Broken Glass Jello or Christmas Jello, is a festive, soft, and creamy gelatin dessert popularly served during holidays. Its inviting look and appearance droves people of all ages to the table. Aside from its enticing look, everyone loves it because of its sweet taste, not to mention that it melts in your mouth, a win-win!
It got its name from the classic stained-glass cathedral windows. Which the dessert resembles when cut. With its multi-colored jello, cut into various shapes and sizes enhanced by the white and creamy jello background. Although you can use any colors to make your own version, red, green, and yellow are the most popular ones.
What do you need to make Stained Glass Jello?
Aside from its vibrant look, it is a loveable dessert because most cathedral window recipe is very simple and straightforward. It is undoubtedly one of the most affordable desserts you can make. You can also easily find the ingredients in any grocery store at any time.
This hassle-free dessert only requires a few ingredients such as fruit-flavored gelatin powders (red, yellow, green, and white), sugar, cream, and condensed milk.
You will also need a mold. I used a bundt pan but if you don't have one, no big deal. Just use any mold or container you have. You can make it in a round, square or rectangle shape. Just make sure that it is a fridge-safe container.
How to make Cathedral Window Dessert?
The first step is to make the colored cubes. You can choose to use flavored gelatin powders or add natural fruit juices or extracts. You can use any colors or flavors you like. Check if your gelatin is sweetened or if you need to add sugar.
- Prepare each color/flavor separately. Just follow the jelly powder to the liquid ratio stated on the package as they vary from brand to brand. Sprinkle the powder over the liquid (room temperature). Add sugar as needed and dissolve. Heat the liquid over low heat until it starts to boil. Turn off heat and pour the gelatin into different molds and refrigerate to set.
- Once it has set, cut into the size and shape you like. Cube is the usual shape but you can have it in any other shape.
- Now, prepare the white gelatin by combining the sweetener and the cream with water (room temperature). Sprinkle the white or clear jelly powder and dissolve. Heat over low heat while stirring constantly. Turn off the heat once it starts to thicken and to bubble.
- Arrange some of the cubes with different colors at the bottom of the mold and pour the hot white gelatin mixture to cover the layer. Add another layer of cubes and white gelatin. Repeat until all cubes and white gelatin are used.
Additional Tips:
- Some recipes would suggest adding fruit juices to the white gelatin. I would not recommend it as the fruit acid will make the cream curdle. You can, however, add fruit extracts like lemon, pineapple or almond.
- Some recipes and even those found at the package suggest adding the cream and sweetened condensed milk after heating the gelatin in water. I tried this and because the cream was cooler than the mixture it caused the gelatin to form small lumps or curds. So I also recommend adding the cream and condensed milk to the water before adding the jelly powder and prior to heating. That way they will have the same temperature all throughout and will result to smooth texture.
- Some brands of gelatin set faster than others. If this is the case try to work fast when assembling the dessert. But if you are not yet done adding all the cubes and the white gelatin starts to set on the pan, just reheat on low until it turns to fluid again.
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Cathedral Window Dessert
INGREDIENTS
JELLY CUBES
- 6 cups water - -room temperature
- 1 tablespoon red gelatin powder (unsweetened) - - adjust as needed
- 1 tablespoon green gelatin powder (unsweetened) - - adjust as needed
- 1 tablesppon yellow gelatin powder (unsweetened) - - adjust as needed
- 9 tablespoon sugar - -if needed
- fruits extracts - -if needed
CREAM JELLY
- 3 cups water - -room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream or all-purpose cream - -unchilled
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoon white or clear gelatin powder
INSTRUCTIONS
JELLY CUBES
- Prepare each color. Just follow the jelly powder to the liquid ratio on the package as they vary from brand to brand.
- Per color, sprinkle the jelly powder over 2 cups of water. Add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar. Stir to dissolve.
- Heat the liquid over low heat until it starts to boil. Turn off heat and pour the gelatin mixture into different molds and refrigerate to set.
- Once they have set, cut into the size and shape you like. Set aside.
CREAM JELLY
- Combine 3 cups water, sweetened condensed milk, and the cream. Sprinkle the white or clear jelly powder and stir to dissolve.
- Heat over low heat while stirring constantly. Turn off the heat when it starts to bubble.
Assembly
- Arrange some of the cubes with different colors at the bottom of the mold. Pour the still slightly hot white gelatin mixture to cover the layer. Add another layer of cubes and white gelatin. Repeat until all cubes and white gelatin are used.
- Refrigerate to set and chill.
RECIPE NOTES
- Adding fruit juices to the white gelatin might cause the cream to curdle. If you want additional flavor, add fruit extracts like lemon, pineapple or almond.
- Some brands of gelatin set faster than others. Try to work fast when assembling the dessert. But if this starts to happen just reheat on low until it turns to fluid again.
What do you think?