By Julia Moskin
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus at least 4 hours’ chilling
- Rating
- 4(253)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This jiggly, layered mold holds a base of clear crimson (sweet cherry) and a topping of ivory white (tangy lemon mixed with sour cream). If you have extra time, you could make it into four layers, producing red and ivory stripes. Garnished with shiny green leaves like bay or holly, it looks especially festive, and is also quite delicious. Swapping out some of the water in the Jell-O formula for ingredients like sour cream and cherry juice gives this dessert its bright taste.
Featured in: How Jell-O Molds Claimed Their Spot on the American Table
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Ingredients
Yield:10 to 12 servings
- 1large (6-ounce) package lemon Jell-O
- 4cups boiling water
- 1(16-ounce) container sour cream
- Neutral cooking spray
- 2large (6-ounce) packages black cherry Jell-O, or use plain cherry or cranberry Jell-O
- 1quart sweet or tart cherry juice, or use cranberry juice (opt for less cloudy varieties)
- Fresh holly sprigs, bay leaves or edible flowers, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
223 calories; 10 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 29 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 123 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Pour lemon mix into a medium bowl and add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until dissolved, then let cool until warm but not steaming hot, about 10 minutes. Gradually whisk in sour cream until smooth.
Step
2
Spray a 10- or 12-cup mold or Bundt pan, preferably nonstick, very lightly with neutral cooking spray. Blot any extra oil with paper towels. Pour in lemon-sour cream mixture and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Step
3
About 15 minutes before lemon-sour cream mixture has set, pour cherry mix into a large bowl and add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until dissolved, then stir in cherry or cranberry juice. Make sure mixture has cooled to lukewarm at most before proceeding.
Step
4
When lemon-sour cream mixture is set, gently ladle the cherry mixture over it. Don’t pour it on top, as the mixture breaks easily. Refrigerate again until completely set, at least 3 hours or overnight. (If you want to create multiple thinner layers of Jell-O, as seen in the picture here, instead of just one layer of each flavor, see Note.)
Step
5
When ready to unmold, run the tip of a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to break the seal. Dip the bottom half of the mold in warm (not hot) water for 15 seconds. Place a serving plate over the top and flip to unmold. (If the mold doesn’t come out immediately, don’t shake it; try the warm water treatment again, 15 seconds at a time, until it comes out. If you leave the mold in the water for a longer time, it may start to melt.)
Step
6
Just before serving, garnish, then slice, using a sharp knife and wiping the blade between slices.
Tip
- To create multiple thinner layers in the mold, refrigerate 1 hour after adding each layer, and whisk each remaining Jell-O mixture in its bowl well before ladling it into the mold or Bundt pan to form the next layer. Chill the completed mold at least 3 hours or overnight.
Ratings
4
out of 5
253
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Cooking Notes
Faneuil Holliday
Three tries, three failures. 1. Couldn’t find mold, subbed in a trifle dish. This screwed up cooling time, led to runny mess. 2. Bought new mold but it was filled to the brim and sloshed on trip to fridge. Spooned out a cupful from top. Kitchen looked like a crime scene. Red jello never firmly set; lemon side crushed the red when overturned. 3. Cut quantities in half. Everything fit in mold, but the cherry side developed an eighth-inch barrier. Hard to cut. Reconsidering my life choices.
Joanne Weaver
To unmold you can place jello in mold upside down on serving plate, flip and cover mold with a small wet towel that has been heated in the microwave and wrung out.
Tracy
Unless you have a giant mold, you will need to halve this recipe. Mine turned out to fit perfectly with exactly half in my regular sized Bundt cake mold. I followed advice to add gelatin to the cherry and this turned out perfectly. Also looks cool. I might try adding yogurt to both flavors since it turns out so nice and creamy that way, though the clear red with the cloudy yellow does look really great. A delightful dessert.
Rosemary Olsen
I have made molds for 30+ years. A few suggestions - The Tupperware jello mold is great for creating an attractive mold without unfolding problems. You would probably have to cut the recipe in half to fit. Cooling the jello in part one as much as possible before adding sour cream, chilled cranberry/cherry juice in part two, and possibly adding some Knox jello to chilled juice may produce a firmer mold.
Allison
I've heard that the fat content of the dairy element helps with setting the gelatin, so if you use full fat greek yogurt it should be the same. Or, I imagine, you could use lower fat yogurt and add more plain gelatin.
Sally
Would greek yogurt work in lieu of the sour cream?
Allison
Did you try "blooming" the gelatin? That's where you sprinkle the Knox gelatin into cool liquid and let it sit for 3-5 minutes before heating the liquid to dissolve the gelatin. I've been told this works well with Knox to avoid the lumps. Can't wait to try it.
Madame G
This was simple & came out beautifully! I did 4 layers & had no trouble with it setting, though I took the advice to use chilled cherry juice & added a bit of Knox. The Knox prob helped the cherry layers, but the lemon layer didn’t need it. Also, I used my normal bundt pan (12 cups) & everything fit perfectly; those saying to halve the recipe must be using significantly smaller pans/molds. At the end of the day, though, this is just beautiful jello, so 4 stars only for boring texture.
John
I made this in a Bundt pan and it fit just right and appeared to have set up, although a thin layer of the lemon formed on the top while in the mold. I thought nothing of it. When I unmolded, the first thing I noticed was that the lemon layer was nowhere to be found! Suddenly, the ring split in places and a couple wedge-shaped pieces sloughed off and onto the counter…this revealed the lemon layer. We ate it and it tasted delicious. I’m just puzzled and disappointed.
Rita
This was a big hit for my Thanksgiving dinner. I couldn't find Black Cherry jello so used regular Cherry and a perfectly sized 32oz Ocean Spray Cranberry juice for the liquid on the Cherry layer. I also bought an old-style lightweight bundt pan w/non-stick interior. It was a perfect fit. The whole thing set up perfectly and was gorgeous! Everyone who tried it really enjoyed it. That sour-cream layer cuts the sweet nature of typical jello dishes. Love it!
Lisa
Dessert?! Where I grew up, a slice of this on a leaf of iceberg lettuce was called salad!
Taylor
Added a packet of Knox to both cherry and lemon jello. Bloomed in cold water and put it through a strainer.Used full fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.Turned out well. Maybe we will reverse the layers next time: the cherry was struggling with the weight of the lemon.
Jill MKE
Followed the recipe, keep the lemon cream setting over night. Held together when i gently ladeled the lukewarm cherry jello over. Came out easily, broke seal as recommended with a knife, set into warm watter briefly, inverted and slid out. Such a treat. Surprisingly tart which was a great surprise but I used tart juice for the cherry jello with the 2 cups of water so Id do that again. Looked very pretty too.
Kate
You must add extra gelatin to the red layer. After unfolding my red layer seemed alive as it souped slowly out the sides.
Kate
I tried this with pomegranate juice. Failure, the lemon portion was perfect but 1 quart of Pom juice made a sloppy messy bottom layer. I have a photo.
Pearl
I make this every year. It's a favorite! Even more fun to make it in vintage molds.
BKIng
Can we please have the separated recipe for the lemon mix?
debra
i will substitute cream cheese and whipped cream for sour cream to give more body
Madame G
This was simple & came out beautifully! I did 4 layers & had no trouble with it setting, though I took the advice to use chilled cherry juice & added a bit of Knox. The Knox prob helped the cherry layers, but the lemon layer didn’t need it. Also, I used my normal bundt pan (12 cups) & everything fit perfectly; those saying to halve the recipe must be using significantly smaller pans/molds. At the end of the day, though, this is just beautiful jello, so 4 stars only for boring texture.
Anne
My son loved this recipe!
SB
I was drawn in by the beautiful photograph, but encountered the same problem as many - lemon/sour cream mixture would not set when made as directed. Tried again with Knox as stabilizer, still would not set. I ended up making small parfait cups (no unmolding). Only the cherry layer truly firmed up. Flavor was ok, although Lemon Jello lends a distinctly chemical note.
Tracy
Unless you have a giant mold, you will need to halve this recipe. Mine turned out to fit perfectly with exactly half in my regular sized Bundt cake mold. I followed advice to add gelatin to the cherry and this turned out perfectly. Also looks cool. I might try adding yogurt to both flavors since it turns out so nice and creamy that way, though the clear red with the cloudy yellow does look really great. A delightful dessert.
Gail Klein
wonder if I can substitute yoghurt for sour cream?
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