Who’s ready for some Jell-O?
This recipe is from my original 1959 edition of the Joys of Jell-O. 
As is now tradition, every year I bring in a weird retro dish for my boss Kate’s birthday. In the spirit of last year’s Better Than Tom Selleck cake, I went with a theme. Because of his untimely passing, and because he is one of Kate’s all-time faves, I chose Prince.
It seems fitting to top a Crown Jewel Dessert with his Purple Highness, no?
Here you can watch how it all went down (which is not well):
Full disclosure: Right before this, Mr. Kinsey (the poor dude with the camera) and I visited a local brewery. We knocked back a few craft brews. Aaaaaaaand we may have continued drinking at my house. Just watch the video.
I did the grand unmolding the next day in the office lunchroom…
Sadly, as soon as I frosted it with more Cool Whip, the Crown Jewel Dessert just started to ever so slowly deflate and spread. Much in the same fashion as the disaster known as Chicken Vegetable Aspic Mold.
This was kind of a disaster. It didn’t look pretty. At all (well, except for the beauty that is Prince). But it tasted OK. And Kate got a giant laugh out of it.
Who knows how long this link will work, but let’s have Prince send us out on a high note.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qpOI92q6EU
I’m glad to see you stayed well hydrated during the making of this film because we all know Coors light is like drinking water. lol It could be the pineapple as to why things did not set right. The enzymes in pineapple juice prevent the gelatin from solidifying. You can put pineapple chunks in Jello because it it is not mixed into the liquid but if you mix the juice it doesn’t work. I know what you’re thinking, “then why do they make recipes like this?” I have no F-ing clue but they are everywhere and I see the same results over and over again. The only thing I can think is next time change the juice to lemon or apple or maybe grape for this one or maybe try doubling the gelatin, get some flavorless stuff it is usually in the baking section. And stop beating your camera man so you won’t have to pay him hazard pay.
PINEAPPLE FAIL!
Also, he totally likes it when I hit him. LOL
Ooooo then hit him twice for me. Mine doesn’t like it. It has taken years to stop but I’m kind of Bam Bam about it. don’t know my own strength.
The dream Whip packets really do work best. I’ve tried using cool whip, and heavy whipped cream but it never is as successful. If you do go the whipped cream route next time, get a packet of stabilizer-it works wonders. I’d also cut back the amount of pineapple juice. I used to make this one every Thanksgiving for my sister in law because it was her favourite.
That said, I’d love it if someone took the time (and it is time consuming) to make this for my Birthday. Even collapsed, you still get a pretty good dessert.
I have made things with Dream Whip, before. It is far superior to the Cool Whip. This needed to be dairy-free.
how did the mid-century women keep their jello suspended in the cool whip? Mine would never be so prettily spaced apart. OMG I have that same dish that you put the lemon jello in. Puffy shirts should be retired because only Prince could make them look so debonair yet sassy!
Nothing is better than Prince in a puffy shirt.
True. Very true.