Jell-O Fruit Cottage Cheese (Printer-Friendly)

Colorful gelatin mold with pineapple, mandarin segments, carrots, and creamy cottage cheese, chilled and set.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Gelatin Base

01 - 2 packages (3 oz each) flavored gelatin (strawberry or orange)
02 - 480 ml boiling water
03 - 240 ml cold water

→ Fruit & Vegetables

04 - 240 ml crushed pineapple, well-drained
05 - 240 ml canned mandarin orange segments, drained
06 - 120 ml grated carrots

→ Creamy Additions

07 - 240 ml small-curd cottage cheese
08 - 120 ml chopped walnuts (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the gelatin in boiling water, stirring until completely dissolved.
02 - Add the cold water to the gelatin mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
03 - Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature for approximately 20 minutes.
04 - Stir in the crushed pineapple, mandarin oranges, grated carrots, and cottage cheese. Add chopped walnuts if desired.
05 - Pour the mixture into a 6-cup gelatin mold or bundt pan, smoothing the surface evenly.
06 - Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, or until fully set.
07 - Briefly dip the mold in warm water, then invert it onto a serving platter to release the gelatin.
08 - Slice into portions and serve chilled.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that looks impressive but never stresses you out, mostly just waiting time in the fridge.
  • The texture contrast—creamy cottage cheese pockets against wiggly fruit—keeps every spoonful interesting.
  • Once you've made it once, you'll find yourself doubling batches because it disappears faster than you'd expect.
02 -
  • Timing is everything—if you add the fruit before the gelatin has cooled enough, it'll sink; if you wait too long, the gelatin starts setting and won't flow evenly around everything.
  • The drainage step is non-negotiable; I learned this the hard way with a batch that turned into pudding because I didn't drain the pineapple thoroughly enough.
03 -
  • Use a metal mold instead of plastic—it conducts temperature better and unmolds more reliably every single time.
  • If your unmold attempt goes sideways, you can always chop it up, layer it in a glass bowl with whipped cream, and serve it as a parfait instead—nobody needs to know it was a backup plan.
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