Jello molds are often used to make desserts.
Gelatin molds are molds that are designed to be used with gelatin, jelly, and other jellies to produce a variety of treats and desserts. They range from simple ring molds to fun shaped molds like brains, hearts or flowers, with varying levels of detail. In addition to molding jellies, jelly molds can also serve as cake pans and pans for timpani and other molded foods. Most kitchen supply stores sell a variety of jello pans for cooks, from individual pans to large pans designed for parties.
The gelatin must be cooled in a mold so that it can take a certain shape.
Jams, jellies, and other gelled foods are made by dissolving gelling agents and mixing them with water, broth, and other ingredients to create a pasty liquid that is poured into a mold, cooled, and allowed to harden. Once hardened, the food is firm, although slightly unstable. The modeling jelly can be made with any simple liquid such as water, juice or soup stock, and it is also possible to insert inclusions into the mixture such as fruit, pieces of meat, cheese, etc.
Since gelled foods are soggy before they have a chance to harden, a mold is needed to shape the gelatin and hold the mixture in place while it solidifies. Molds are also used to make gelled foods more visually interesting, with foods classically presented on a tray so that people can clearly distinguish the shape. Some people also use jello molds for educational projects with young children.
Metal, plastic and silicone can be used for jelly molds. The mold is designed to be reused over and over again and is generally heat resistant, so heated mixtures can be poured into the mold without worry of warping or melting. Some also come with snap-on lids that inhibit film formation on the gelatin during hardening, keeping the texture smooth and even.
Lubrication is not normally needed on a gelatin mold, as the internal mix will tend to stick to itself. To unmold food that’s in a pan, cooks place a serving plate upside down over the pan, then quickly invert the pan and pan, allowing the food to slide onto the pan. Sometimes it may take a hard tap for the jello to slide out of the mold and onto the plate.
It is essential to ensure that the gelled foods have completely hardened before unmolding them. Foods that do not completely harden return to a liquid state when inverted on a plate, which destroys the bonds created by the gelling agent. Once food has stopped, it will never harden, so premature removal of mold can ruin a dish entirely.