Why did my jello not set?

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To a 3 oz. box of orange jello I added 1 cup of boiling liquid (mandarin orange), then a pint of orange sherbet and finally the drained oranges. The jello had a bubbled effect on top and did not set well. Vanilla ice cream worked just fine; do I need to change something in order to use sherbet?



Best Answer

A lot of fruits denature gelatin so it doesnt set.

All of the citruses, papaya (that has an enzyme called "papain" that breaks proteins), pineapple ("bromelin") and a lot of others cannot be used with gelatin without being very thoroughly cooked, as in boiled for one hour or so.

If you just brought mandarin oranges to a boil for using, that could be it. Or it could be the sherbet.




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Quick Answer about "Why did my jello not set?"

One of the most common reasons why your jello won't set is the fruit you choose to put in it. Certain fruits, including mango, guava, kiwi, figs, papaya, ginger, and pineapple, have certain enzymes that will prevent the jello from properly setting.

Why did my jello not harden?

When making gelatin you must boil the powder in water and then add the correct amount of cold water before sending it to the fridge to set. If you skipped or altered either of these steps then that is why your Jello will not set. Unfortunately, if this is the case you will not be able to save your batch of JELLO.

Why did my jello come out watery?

Chances are you didn't follow the directions exactly, adding too much water or watery fruit (via Butter With A Side Of Bread). Jell-O also won't set if left on the counter; it needs to chill in your refrigerator.

What prevents jello from setting?

Some fresh fruits prevent Jell-O and other types of gelatin from gelling. These are fruits that contain high levels of proteases. Proteases are enzymes that break chemical bonds in proteins, such as collagen in gelatin. Pineapple, kiwi, papaya, mango, and guava are examples of fruits that cause a problem.



How To Fix Jello That Did Not Set Properly




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