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How to Add Fruit to Jello Recipes

Jello has a fruity flavor so it goes without saying that fruit goes well with jello. You can either use a contrasting fruit or fruit, which matches the jello flavor. Strawberry pieces in strawberry jello would be good but so would peach slices in lime jello or canned fruit cocktail in blueberry jello.

Jello Gelatin with Fruit

Not all jello recipes call for fruit but some do. Some fruity recipes use jello for consistency. An example of this would be a strawberry cheesecake. Imagine a crisp and crumbly graham cracker base, topped with a silky, creamy middle layer and finally a layer of strawberries. What stops the strawberries from sliding off? Usually the way they are arranged keeps them on top of the cheesecake, but using jello to make a jello cheesecake recipe means that not only does the jello hold the strawberries in place but you get a great texture on top of your cheesecake too.

There are also jello recipes, which are not fruity. These are made with gelatin, rather than jello, but you can make almond gelatin, hazelnut gelatin, and coconut gelatin or use gelatin sheets to make another dessert recipe, which does not have a fruity flavor.

Sinking Fruit and Floating Fruit

When you add fruit to jello, it is best to wait until the jello is thick, else the fruit might sink to the bottom. You might assume that all fruit would sink but actually some fruits float instead.

How to Add Fruit Cocktail to Jello

Fruits in heavy syrup sink. This includes peaches, pears, and fruit cocktail. Seedless grapes also sink. Fresh fruit and fruit in light syrup tends to float. This includes orange and lemon slices, sliced apples, peaches, or bananas.

Do not worry though because there is a way around this. Whether you are using a fruit that is likely to sink or ones, which is likely to sink, waiting until your jello is very thick means the fruit can be mixed evenly through the jello without floating or sinking. "Very thick" means the consistency of cold egg whites. Stir the fruit into the thick jello with a metal spoon and leave it in the refrigerator to finish setting.

Fresh, Canned, or Frozen Fruit

You might already know that there are some fruits you cannot use to make jello recipes. An enzyme found certain fresh fruits like kiwi, figs, guava, pineapple, gingerroot and papaya stop jello from setting. This enzyme breaks down the gelatin and makes it useless. If you want to use kiwi, pineapple, figs, guava, or papaya with your jello recipe, just add them at the end as a garnish, or make a coulis or sauce with them. If you want to add ginger, use powdered ginger in the recipe instead of gingerroot.

Frozen fruit usually has to be thawed before you add it, because a lot of water sticks to frozen fruit, in the form of ice crystals. Alternatively, you can add frozen fruit to your jello mixture, after dissolving the jello crystals in boiling water. Not only are you able to use the fruit without having to thaw it but the ice crystals help to cool the jello down faster and this of course means that it sets quicker.

Fruit is delicious in jello recipes. It adds texture, color, and also nutrients. Slice or chop your fruit, add it to the jello when it is thick and you will have a delicious jello dessert to please the whole family.