Does jello need to be cooled to get solid?

[momofkhm]

I'm teaching at a biology co-op this week and next. We need to make jello for an experiment. I'm getting around the stove by taking a hot pot. But does jello need to be put in the fridge to gel? I have a sink but no fridge. Will a cooler with ice work?

I also posted this on the general board.

Thanks!

[NancyL]

Hi- I actually know the answer to this question.!
(nutrition degree) The strength of the gel structure is proportional to the time the gelatin takes to set. The time is more important than the temperature. So if you use the ice cubes you will get a weaker gel. In my mom's day they always made it in the evening and set it out on the counter to cool overnight. (they just put bananas and marshmallows in it anyway) This would make a strong gel, but now the health department probably wouldn't allow you to serve this type of food if it hadn't been refrigerated!
Also it dissolves better if you use ALL hot water. No cold. That's what they do commercially. (follow the instructions for the total amount of water) But if you want to make a thicker jello (rubbery) you could cut back on the water. HTH!

[Susan C.]

I'm teaching at a biology co-op this week and next. We need to make jello for an experiment. I'm getting around the stove by taking a hot pot. But does jello need to be put in the fridge to gel? I have a sink but no fridge. Will a cooler with ice work?

I also posted this on the general board.

Thanks!

I know what experiment you are doing :)

We are the same place in the book! My thinking, you may have to do the experiment ahead of time, take it in the cooler, and show the results. It takes several hours to make jello in the fridge.

[momofkhm]

FWIW, I did try to make jello on the counter today. Just leaving it out didn't work in the amount of time I have for co-op. But when I used the dirctions for quick set and used an ice bath to set the bowl in, the jello set in 1/2 hour. "Soft set" is what the box says, but I thik it will be enough to see what happens and what doesn't happen.

Also I read ahead on the experiment, I can heat the pineapple at home. I'll take it warm though. Hopefully it will work!