3D jelly spiders and flowers dessert jello recipe
Arachnophobia or fear of spiders affects nearly one third of the population, add to that the fear of needles and this is one scary post. These flowers and spiders are made by injecting a milk based gelatin mixture into a clear jelly.
Gelatine flowers have their origins in Mexico where they are called gelatina floral. The spiders originated in my kitchen after my boys were not impressed with ‘pretty’ jellies. Watch the video below for directions on how to make these amazing edible 3D creations.
Equipment that I used:
Needle: hypodermic nipro flomax 19G X 38MM
Syringe: 10mL (0.34 fluid ounces) luer lock latex free (if you buy more than one you will not have to wash it out every time you want a different colour, I purchased these and the needles on ebay)
Plastic and metal spoons and flat firm plastic cut to a petal shape
Optional a small toy spider or a carrot carved into shape
Clear jello recipe
1 Litre or 4 cups water
300g (10.58 ounces) or 1 1/3 cup plus 2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp citric acid (or other clear flavoring)
56g (1.98 ounces) or 4 Tbsp powdered gelatine
additional 1 cup or 250ml cold water
Mix together the gelatine and 1 cup of cold water and leave to absorb the water.
Place the 1L (0.26 gallons) water, sugar and citric acid into a saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved.
Stir through the gelatine until it dissolves and then pour into container and leave in the fridge to set.
Milk based Jello recipe for the pattern
20g (0.71 ounces) or 2 tablespoons gelatine
125millilitres (4.23 fluid ounces) or 1/2 cup water
395g (13.93 ounces) tin sweetened condensed milk
Full cream milk add to the sweetened condensed milk to make a total of 500millilitres (16.91 fluid ounces) or 2 cups liquid.
Food colours (pink, blue, yellow) & cocoa powder or dark chocolate to make brown
Mix together the gelatine and cold water and leave to swell.
Heat the sweetened condensed milk and milk in a saucepan until it just starts to boil. Remove from heat and stir through the gelatine until it is melted. Split into smaller bowls to colour. If the mixture sets before you’re ready to use it – remelt in the microwave or on the stovetop.
My Cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country: http://bit.ly/ARcookbook All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.
Is it possible to add flavour to the clear jelly with liquid favouring? If so, how much would you recommend?
Hi Rebecca, it is but some flavours will taint the colour of the jelly, so you will need to use a totally clear flavour and then the quantity needs to be an accordance with the directions and to suit your taste. Usually it is like a couple of drops only per 500ml of jelly.
Hi, can you tell me how long these will keep for and if they should be kept in the fridge. please
Hi Barbara, They are best kept in the fridge and if fully enclosed in an airtight container, they will last as long as normal jelly. They don’t tend to go off but jelly will dry and not be as nice to eat.
Hi, absoloutley brilliant, ben looking for an idea to start making. Just some advise please I need to post some of these can you advise best packaging to prevent damage .thankyou
Hi Barbara, these are really not suitable for posting.
Hi can I flavor milk gelatin? If so how much do I need for your recipe. Thanks
Hi Kelly, yes you can but you need to use a colourless flavour or it will change the colour. Usually flavours are very concentrated but you need to use the amount to suit your tatste. Start with a very small amount, taste and add more to achieve the flavour level you like.
This is so great! I am really amazed and I want to learn how to do it. So creative! I hope I could find the tools and materials in the Philippines. Im so happy I was able to find this tutorial. 🙂 Thank you
Hi Ann,
I’d like to know what brand of gelatin powder you used because I’m aware there are different blooms of gelatin powder which affects the stiffness of the gelatin right?
Either way I’d like to use exactly what you used and the same brand of items to make sure my first attempts goes ok because I am completely new to cooking.
Hope to hear back from you soon.
Hi Jacky, this won’t help you as brands of the same name may be manufactured differently in different countries. Usually the packet will indicate if it is standard or strong.
Would u be able to say what it is anyways. Maybe i can dig into it and look it up online. I am having trouble with all the gelatin I try… they keep turning yellow instead of clear
How does this taste? Are these cakes edible as a dessert after you create the designs? Thank you.
Hi Karen, Yes they are edible and can be eaten as dessert.
Can you make it without the needle on the syringe, and if so, how?
Hi CC, You can’t create the decorations unless you use the equipment recommended or something close to it.
How can I learn the process of needling. …how can I get the material of tools required. …i am very impressed and interested to learn. .please give information
Hi Tanuja, Ann provides links in the recipe to the tools you need.
How do you release the jello from the dome without breaking it
Hi Monique, sorbitol is a form of sugar alcohol derived from glucose. It is also know as glucitol. It is commonly used in foods as a sweetner and is especially good for making transparent gels.
How do you release the jello dome from the plastic
Hi Monique, With the molds Ann used, the jello was just gently released on the sides and then turned upside down and eased out.
Hi Lizan, Thanks for your comment. I have been on holidays and am just back on deck so will no doubt get to your question in the near future. We get 100’s of comments every week and it does take a while to get through them all. It sounds like like you are after some resources in India and Israel. As we are based in Australia, we can’t advise you as to local suppliers, however most items are purchasable online. We often recommend checking out ebay or amazon if the local stores don’t have what you need.
can you pls send me the link where you purchased the syringes and will this cause any issues with the postal (Australia) Im really keen to try this out pls reply.
Hey guys I got the syringes and Luther lock needle tips off amazon
Hi. Can I ask what can replace citric acid with?
Hi Janaila, You could replace the citric acid with lemon juice, but it will make the jelly a bit cloudy. You really want the jelly clear to be able to see the designs so its worth using citric acid.
Respected Madam,
Please guide me where will I get these accessories in India i.e. nearby Mumbai or Pune as I am staying in India. Please also tell me the name of website from where I can order the same online.
Can I use any type of powdered gelatins that I can buy at my local supermarket, or does it need to be a gelatin eat a special potency like in your gummy worm recipe?
Hi Sydney, Ann used standard gelatin powder available in the local supermarket for this recipe.
Hi Ann! Can I use vanilla extract not the clear one for the flavoring? Thanks!
Hi Ann I was just wondering if you could replace the full cream milk with regular milk? (=^・^=)
Can i use lemon juice instead of citric acid?
Hi Sayo. You could replace the citric acid with lemon juice, but it will make the jelly a bit cloudy. You really want the jelly clear to be able to see the designs so its worth using citric acid.
Hi! So I love this so much but I am not sure I have the means to get the needles… Is there anything else that would work?
Hi Ellen, The needles will work best. Ann has tried it using other tools but it is too difficult to get the placement of the decorations right.